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Thyroid Disorders: Introduction

This blog aims to introduce the idea that thyroid problems can be helped with key nutrients. We should all start by following the Root Cause Protocol which addresses copper regulation in the body and helps improve conversion of T4 to T3.

Once settled on the RCP start on the Iodine Protocol to clear the toxic halides from the thyroid so it can function properly and increase T4 levels.

If proper blood testing of Free T3 and Free T4 levels has confirmed UAT then Natural Desiccated Thyroid is a better alternative to Levothyroxine because it contains T3 and T4.

What is the Thryoid?

This definition is from Thyroid UK:
“The thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland with two lobes. It is situated in the front of your neck, just below the Adams Apple. The thyroid gland produces two main hormones which are very important for growth and development. One is called thyroxine (T4) and the other is called triiodothyronine (T3). T4 is converted to T3 in the body’s cells and tissues. T3 is an active hormone and is needed by all of the cells and tissues of the body.”

More information here: http://thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_the_thyroid/thyroid_overview.html

What is Underactive Thyroid?

UAT is when the thyroid gland in the neck doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. Dr Brownstein says that this is due to iodine insufficiency caused by toxicity. He recommends improving thyroid function with high dose Lugol’s iodine alongside the companion nutrients to facilitate detox. Once full saturation of iodine has been achieved it may mean that those with subclinical hypothyroidism (which doesn’t show up on blood tests) feel much better and those who remain hypothyroid may need to take NDT, but less of it than they might have done without optimising their thyroid function with Iodine.

Some people who don’t convert T4 to T3 may need to add in some Liothyronine (synthetic T3) if there is too much T4 for them in NDT. After reaching full saturation of Iodine I experienced improved hypo-symptoms but I wasn’t 100%. If later found out that I don’t convert T4 to T3 due to the DIO2 gene mutation, so I now take T3 only which has worked really well for me.

I discovered that Morley Robbins’ Root Cause Protocol improves the conversion of T4 to T3, so I would advise everyone to follow the full protocol to reduce the need for NDT or additional T3.

What are the causes of UAT?

Dr Brownstein says that 95% of the population is iodine deficient due to bromine, chlorine, and fluoride blocking the iodine receptors in the thyroid gland.
Thyroid UK has a list of other causes here: http://thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_the_thyroid/hypothyroidism.html

Genetic defects in the DIO1 and DIO2 genes can cause problems with conversion of T4 to T3 resulting in low Free T3 – this is why it is important for GPs and Endocrinologists to routinely test Free T3 along with Free T4 and TSH.

Do I have an underactive thyroid?

Signs of UAT are anxiety, depression, weight gain that won’t shift, particularly around the face and jaw-line, feeling tired all the time, lack of motivation, needing to sit down and rest a lot more, going to bed really early due to exhaustion, not feeling refreshed on waking, brain-fog, being unable to articulate thoughts, lack of concentration, and irritability.

A full checklist is here which would be a good thing to take to your GP: http://thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_the_thyroid/hypothyroidism_signs_symptoms.html

NHS Testing

It is best to try to get as much testing as you can on the NHS as private testing independently through Medichecks or via a private GP or Endocrinologist can be expensive. Ask your GP to test Free T3 and Free T4 which is the best way to find out if you have UAT. The standard GP testing is Free T4 and TSH which means those who don’t convert T4 to T3, and therefore have low Free T3 levels, remain undetected. If your GP won’t test Free T3 ask for a referral to an Endocrinologist. If you see an Endocrinologist it would be good to ask if they can test Reverse T3 as this will give a better indication if you have conversion issues.

You also need to know your B12, Folate, Vitamin D, and Ferritin levels. If these aren’t optimal, according to the STTM guidelines, then you won’t feel better on NDT. But remember, we follow the Root Cause Protocol to address low iron and Vitamin D, this group doesn’t recommend taking iron and Vitamin D3 or D2 supplements.

NHS Treatment

The standard treatment for UAT is Levothyroxine, which doesn’t work for many people. This is because it contains synthetic T4 only. Some people don’t convert T4 to T3 and continue to have hypothyroid symptoms. This isn’t recognised by the majority of GPs and Endocrinologists because they don’t routinely test for Free T3 so they have no idea what your T3 levels are.

Stop the Thyroid Madness explains that many people continue to feel bad on Levo because they have conversion problems which means their Free T3 levels are not optimal. Conversion can be helped by addressing low Selenium levels which can be discovered by the Selenium RBC blood test. Stop the Thyroid Madness say that in order to feel well your Free T4 should be in the middle of the range and your Free T3 should be in the upper quarter of the range.

Research has shown that hypothyroid patients feel better on a combination of Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3) – which naturally occurs in NDT.

Effects of Thyroxine as Compared with Thyroxine plus Triiodothyronine in patients with Hypothyroidism – The New England Journal of Medicine Feb.11, 99 Vol. 340. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199902113400603

Anxiety & Depression

GPs often prescribe antidepressants without testing Free T3 levels. Low T3 causes depression and anxiety. Low B12 and D3 is also a factor. There are other natural ways you can address symptoms of anxiety and depression and I’ve blogged about it here: http://tinyurl.com/y7za6teb

Go it alone

Some people who can’t get Free T3 tested by a GP and can’t get a referral to an Endocrinologist do their own testing via Medichecks. It would provide you with the ammunition you need to go back to your GP for a referral or you may decide to find a private GP or Endocrinologist to treat you. You can do a finger prick test at home for some of the tests or go to your local test centre for a blood draw.

This is a good test to start with as it is very comprehensive: https://www.medichecks.com/thyroid-function-tests/thyroid-check-ultravit-rt3 Look out for Medichecks special offers and ‘Thyroid Thursday’ discounts.

You can then supplement with T3 and/or NDT using the guidance from Stop the Thyroid Madness and Paul Robinson.

https://stopthethyroidmadness.com
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com

Next Steps

1. Start the Root Cause Protocol
2. Get Tested
3. Start the Iodine Protocol

Genetics: MTHFR & B-Vitamin Deficiency

About MTHFR

People with MTHFR gene mutations cannot process synthetic B vitamins. Diagnosis is via a saliva test which tests your genes. If you feel too overwhelmed at to do this test Dr Ben Lynch, an expert on MTHFR, says you can just take the methylated B12 and Folate along with a good methylated B complex and see if that helps.

Genetic Testing

Genetic testing is relatively new and, as such, there is very little information available on the impact that damaged genes will have on the way the body functions. Everyone inherits two copies of each gene, one from their mother and one from their father. If you have two defective genes you are homozygous and you may experience worse symptoms than heterozygous people who have only one.

Remember that mutations mean that there is a ‘risk’ – it’s not always a certainty or a diagnosis. There are some companies that offer specific genetic tests but it is cheaper to do the 23andMe test. You can access your entire genome by doing a saliva test with 23andMe. The advantage of doing your whole genome is that you can find out about many other genetic issues, not just MTHFR. You can then upload your 23andMe results to a site like Livewello and search in the sandbox for individual rs codes (eg rs225014).

B12

Low B12 has been linked with depression and anxiety. Get your Active B12 tested by blood test either via your GP or the Medichecks finger prick home test. Ask your GP for a print out of your results and check them yourself – your result should be in the upper quarter of the range.

Supplements to Support MTHFR Mutations

Dr Ben Lynch, an MTHFR expert, says that if you have depression or anxiety and you can’t afford the 23andMe test you can supplement with the methylated versions of B12 and Folic Acid and see if you feel better.

The methylated version of B12 is Methylcobalamin. https://yoganutrition.co.uk/products/liquid-b12-mix

The methylated version of Folic Acid is Folate or Folinic Acid.

You can increase your levels with B12 injections. It is best taken sublingually by sucking B12 lozenges, or using a spray.

Always take individual B12 alongside a good B-Vitamin Complex.

A good methylated complex is Jarrow B Right. I take one capsule in the morning and one at lunch.

B vitamins are water-soluble which means the excess is excreted through urine so you can’t overdose.

Take B supplements in a split dose at breakfast and lunch to give you energy throughout the day. Keep a diary and note down when you started the supplement and how you feel.

Further Information

https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr/

Dr Ben Lynch’s website: http://mthfr.net/

There is a chapter by Ben Lynch in the new Stop the Thyroid Madness II book.

Support Groups

MTHFR – Understanding Gene Mutations and Epigenetics: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308940392595187/

Links

https://www.23andme.com/en-gb/
https://livewello.com/
http://geneticgenie.org/
https://www.nutrahacker.com/

Thyroid: NDT Dosing Guidance

Natural Desiccated Thyroid, NDT, contains T4, which converts to T3, and also T3, the active hormone. T3 acts more quickly than T4 and sometimes needs to be taken twice a day because it only lasts a few hours in the body before it runs out.

Adults

STTM recommends addressing adrenals and low iron before starting NDT, as Reverse T3 will be produced making you feel worse.
After addressing adrenals and low iron start with one tablet (60/65mg) and raise by 1/2 tablet (30/35mg) every two weeks. Some may be optimal at 120mg per day.

Keep a daily diary of dose, timing, and symptoms.

A maintenance dose is 2 to 3 65mg tablets or 120 to 180 mg daily.

The first dose on waking should be the biggest followed by a lower amount in the early afternoon. eg 120mg, 60mg. Some people take three doses: morning, early afternoon, and four hours later in the late afternoon. eg 120mg, 60mg, 30mg.

Once you get to 120 to 180 mg per day, hold for 6 weeks and monitor your symptoms before testing again.

Some people may need to increase to 180 to 300 mg per day until symptoms are relieved.

I would recommend reading the Stop The Thyroid Madness book for further information about increasing and dosing.

Adults on Liothyronine

I was advised to take 90mg NDT on waking to maintain adequate Free T4 levels. I then took my Liothyronine at 0900, 1200, and 1600.

Children

Dr L’Hermitte at the Hertoghe Clinic in Brussels recommends Nature-Throid by RLC Labs and NP Thyroid because they make 15mg tablets. If you can’t get them you will need to cut up a 30mg tablet.

Guidance

Don’t start NDT until you have addressed adrenals and stabilised on an optimal dose of ACE for two weeks. STTM also recommends addressing low iron.

Start with 1/4 grain / 15mg (1/2 30mg tablet) on waking for 14 days. Make sure the tablet is crunched for optimal absorption.

After 14 days increase by 1/4 grain / 15mg to 30mg (1 x 30mg tablet). Give half in the morning on waking and the other half after lunch.

After another 14 days increase by 1/4 grain / 15mg to 3/4 grain / 45mg (1 x 30mg tablet + 1/2 30mg tablet) max before testing again. Give 1 x 30mg tablet in the morning on waking and half a 30mg tablet (15mg) after lunch.

If reactive give only 7.5mg or 1/2 of a 1/4 grain, 1/8 of a grain.

Dr L’Hermitte and STTM warn that more might be required in the winter so you might want to add in another 15mg dose four hours after the first dose and then time the afternoon dose four hours after that.

Iodine: How much should I take?

This post is a summary to introduce you to the key concepts about supplementing with Lugol’s. Before supplementing you must read ‘Iodine Why You Need It’ by Dr David Brownstein to get a full picture of the protocol.  You must start the supporting nutrients before embarking upon taking Lugol’s.

Lugol’s

Drs Abraham, Fletchas, and Brownstein who worked on the Iodine Project recommend the use of Lugol’s, which has a long history of use, and is available in liquid or tablet form. The solution was invented in 1829 by the French doctor Jean Lugol who discovered that bonding Iodine to potassium made it water soluble. The solution contains Iodine (I), potassium iodide (KI), and distilled water (H2O). Being water soluble makes it much safer than previous recipes because the kidneys can easily process it and excrete the excess through the urine.

Buying Lugol’s in England

  • Lugol’s solution is available on eBay in liquid form at different strengths.
  • J Crow is the recommended brand of Lugol’s liquid which is available in the UK on Amazon and eBay.
  • The Heath Leads brand is NOT recommended.
  • Use this tool to calculate how much is in each drop at each strength: dose in a drop calculator by Micah Coffey http://dropulator.com
  • You can buy it in tablet form called Iodoral or LugoTabs from Hakala in the USA.
  • Hakala LugoTabs are available in 3mg, 6mg, 12.5mg, 25mg, and 50mg. Formulated by J. Charles Hakala – a member of the original “Iodine Project” team.
  • After six months at 50mg take a 24 Hour Iodine Loading Test to check your levels of Iodine, Bromine, Chlorine, and Fluoride: https://www.hakalalabs.com/24-Hour-Urine-Iodine-Loading-Test-Kit_p_45.html

How to Take Lugol’s

  • Put your Lugol’s drops in a glass of water and drink it – don’t take it neat as it is caustic.
  • Swallow tablets with water.
  • Take it in the morning as it can be stimulating so avoid it at night.
  • Best taken away from Vitamin C as it can block it – ie not at the same time.

Lugol’s Dose

The 2007 Iodine Conference established that for men and non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding women a minimum of 50 mg Lugol’s iodine is required for a minimum of six months in order to fully detox halides and replenish iodine levels in the thyroid.

‘Inorganic non-radioactive iodine/iodide is an essential nutrient, not a drug. Therefore, the body has the metabolic mechanism for using inorganic iodine beneficially, effectively and safely. Iodine is as safe as magnesium chloride with a track record of 180 years of use in medicine. Published data confirms its safety even when used in pulmonary patients in amounts four orders of magnitude greater than the US RDA. When patients take between 12.5 to 50 mg of iodine per day, it seems that the body becomes increasingly more responsive to thyroid hormones. Optimal intake of iodine in amounts two orders of magnitude greater than iodine levels needed for goiter control may be required for iodization of hormone receptors.’ Mark Sircus OMD

It is only by taking 50mg plus of iodine for at least six months that one is able to push the halides off the iodine receptors to achieve saturation. Guy Abraham MD, FACN comments that ‘…bromide interferes with cellular uptake of iodide. Iodine intake in daily amounts from 50 to 75mg iodine in the form of Lugols’ tablet (Iodoral) had a positive effect on the saliva/serum iodide ratio and decreased serum bromide.’ [Iodine: Why You Need It, 5th Edition, David Brownstein MD, P11]

Commenting on the research of Dr Abraham, Dr Brownstein, and Dr Jorge D Flechas in the Iodine project Dr Donald Miller says: ‘More than 4,000 patients in this project take iodine in daily doses ranging from 12.5 to 50 mg, and in those with diabetes, up to 100 mg a day. These investigators have found that iodine does indeed reverse fibrocystic disease; their diabetic patients require less insulin; hypothyroid patients less thyroid medication; symptoms of fibromyalgia resolve, and patients with migraine headaches stop having them. To paraphrase Dr. Szent-Györgi, these investigators aren’t sure how iodine does it, but it does something good.’ http://www.doctorsaredangerous.com/articles/iodineforhealth.htm

Dr. David Brownstein said, “After testing individuals and finding low iodine levels, I began to use smaller milligram amounts of iodine/iodide (6.25 mg/day). Upon retesting these individuals 1-2 months later, little progress was made. I therefore began using higher milligram doses (6.25-50 mg) to increase the serum levels of iodine. It was only with these higher doses that I began to see clinical improvement as well as positive changes in the laboratory tests.” Brownstein has sometimes used between 200 and 300 milligrams of iodine daily, with higher doses for more serious and difficult diseases. http://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/

Dr Gabriel Cousens says: “At 6 grams daily (which is 6 million micrograms/day or 6,000 milligrams/day!), a much higher dose, iodine has been used to cure syphilis, skin lesions, and chronic lung disease,” says Cousens. “From a larger physiological perspective, it is important to realize that the thyroid is only one gland of many glands and tissues that needs iodine. Other glands/organs/systems with high iodine uptake are the breasts, ovaries, cervix, blood, lymph, bones, gastric mucosal, salivary, adrenal, prostate, colon, thymus, lungs, bladder, kidney, and skin. Iodine is found and used in every hormonal receptor in the body.”

Pregnancy & Lactation
The 207 Iodine Conference doctors concluded that 12.5 mg per day should be the maximum for those women who have not taken iodine before getting pregnant. This avoids detoxing into the breast milk. This is 2 drops of 5% Lugol’s Solution. http://steppingstonesliving.com/theguide/

Children
Dr Brownstein recommends a daily dose of 0.25 mg per kg in his book ‘Iodine Why You Need It’.

Children with ADHD

The naturopath Stephanie Buist ND (a survivor of thyroid cancer which Dr Brownstein successfully treated with iodine) successfully treated her children’s ADHD with iodine at slightly higher doses which were within safe limits.

  • Up to 3 years: 3 drops of Detoxified Iodine (www.iodinesource.com) per day.
  • 3 to 5 years: 6.25 mg = 1 drop 5% Lugols Solution
  • 5 to 9 years: 12.5 mg = 2 drops 5% Lugols Solution or 1 Iodoral 12.5 mg tablet
  • 9 to 16 years: 25 mg = 4 drops 5% Lugols Solution or 2 Iodoral 12.5 mg tablets
  • 16 years and over: depending on health issues and weight doses follow the adult range from 12.5 to 300 mg.
    http://steppingstonesliving.com/theguide/

Benefits of Higher Doses

Donald W Millar Jr MD says: ‘The vast majority of people, 98 to 99 percent, can take iodine in doses ranging from 10 to 200 mg a day without any clinically adverse affects on thyroid function’. He confirms that diabetics have seen good results at doses of up to 100 mg per day.
Stephanie Buist ND, who was a patient of Dr Brownstein, took 100mg to cure her thyroid cancer. And some breast cancer survivors have reported taking up to 300mg daily to push out high levels of bromine and cure their breast cancer.

It is thought that the antioxidant effect of iodine at higher doses may help to overcome the issues with adrenal function and by-pass the crash effect. Mercury is known to be able to block cortisol synthesis by acting as an oxidant and therefore exerts stress on the antioxidant system, causing low cortisol levels. Because iodine opposes mercury at high levels it should support the antioxidant system. This means that by expelling mercury from the body adrenal function can be restored, thus improving cortisol levels through better cortisol synthesis.

Patients taking iodine have said that bromine detox symptoms only occur at low doses and not at high doses over 100 mg, which could be due to the antioxidant effect of iodine. Iodine only acts as an antioxidant at high doses when there is enough excess to produce an antioxidant lipid called delta-iodolactone, which is 300 times more powerful than Vitamin C. The body does not make it when there is insufficient iodine available so it is thought that a dose of over 100 mg would be required.

At high doses the antioxidant effect starts enabling iodine to support the adrenals and reduce cortisol levels by opposing the strong toxic effects of mercury. High doses also tighten up the mitochondrial membrane preventing leakage of cytochrome C from the mitochondria across the mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol (cytoplasm). This diminishes the oxidative processes in the cytosol and reduces the negative effects of oxidative stress by restoring enzymes which were once suppressed. This assists the recovery of 17-Hydroxylase, 5′ Deiodinase, and Methionine Synthase, thereby contributing to the recovery of adrenal, thyroid, and methylation function respectively. This may explain why some people who take 25 mg and feel dreadful can take 100 to 150 mg without a problem.

Dr Maclean says that once your iodine dosage has restored adrenal function by opposing the effects of mercury, any further increase may start to be counter-productive, causing iodine overdose. However, I would take this hypothesis with caution; one needs to bear in mind that the purpose of taking iodine at high doses is also to push out the toxic halides from the thyroid, particularly bromine, so it is important to continue on a high dose until the bromine has been expelled. It is therefore prudent to test iodine and bromine levels regularly so that one is aware when 90 to 95% saturation has been achieved.

Doses for Hyperthyroidism

The Research Chemist, Biochemist and Toxicologist turned Nutritionist and writer on natural health Walter Last says ‘Iodine supplements tend to normalize over-active thyroid conditions, including autoimmune conditions and thyroid cancer. However, if the size of the thyroid is increased as with goiter, then additional iodine will initially cause an overstimulation. To normalize thyroid size and functions the iodine dose needs to be increased only very slowly and temporarily decreased when overstimulation occurs, and after a while slowly increased again.’ http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

Doses for Cancer

Stephanie Buist ND says that cancer patients have taken between 50 to 300 mg per day successfully. http://steppingstonesliving.com/theguide/

Low & Slow

Mark Sircus says ‘Many people will find that it is important to build up gradually in order to experience the least amount of detoxification reaction from taking iodine.’ http://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/

Testing

The Hakala Labs 24 Hour Loading test with Bromine is required after six months to determine if 95% saturation has been achieved so that the daily amount can be lowered to an appropriate maintenance dose. If bromine levels are still high you could consider increasing the dose to 100 mg and testing again after three months.

Maintenance Dose

Once 95% saturation has been achieved Dr Brownstein recommends a maintenance dose of 12 to 50 mg Lugol’s iodine depending on individual health concerns. Although with the number of toxic halides in our environment I hear that he is leaning towards 50 mg now.

Dr Brownstein’s comments: ‘It is of interest that the recommended daily amount of iodine for supplementation by clinicians of previous generations, that is 12.5-37.5mg in the form of Lugol’s solution, turns out to be the exact range of intake for sufficiency of the whole human body, based on a recently developed loading test. Iodine/iodide in the proper amounts resulted in increased urinary excretion of heavy metals such as lead and mercury; and had a detoxifying effect by increasing excretion of the toxic halides fluoride and bromide.’ [Iodine: Why You Need It, 5th Edition, David Brownstein MD, P8]

Since writing his book Dr Brownstein has commented that in our increasingly toxic world we may require a higher maintenance dose to combat the environmental toxins.

Stephanie Buist, who runs the Facebook group Iodine reports that: ‘it was once believed that a good maintenance dose is 25 mgs per day. But with more information being gained about the exposures to halides bombarding our systems (bromides, fluorides, chlorine) as well as mercury, etc, maintenance of health may require higher doses of iodine. The iodine doctors are now beginning to believe that 50 mgs may be the minimum required dose. Many iodine group members are finding that dosages of 100 mgs cause them to feel the best. While this is anecdotal information it is interesting to note. steppingstonesliving.com/theguide/

After recovering from thyroid cancer ten years ago Stephanie Buist has said that she still takes 75 to 100 mg daily and is no longer concerned with testing.

Mark Sircus OMD, says: ‘For those who are interested in maintained dosages after disease and deficiencies have been dealt with understand that your thyroid gland alone needs about 6 mg of iodine per day for optimal function; the breasts of a woman will need approximately 5 mg/day (women with larger breasts need more); and other body tissues such as your adrenal glands, thymus, ovaries, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland need about 2 mg/day. Thus for optimal wellness adults should consider approximately 10 to 12 mg/day.’

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should supplement at a low dose of 12.5mg Iodoral to avoid detox symptoms and still benefit from the nutrient.

Dr Brownstein recommends children supplement with: 0.25 mg of Lugol’s per kg per day. One drop of 5% Lugol’s solution (0.1ml) is 6.25mg.

Lugol’s Liquid Calculator

Micah Coffey developed this tool for calculating how many mg each drop of liquid Lugol’s Iodine is worth: http://dropulator.com/

Further Reading

Dr Malcolm Maclean’s article can be read at: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/2016/01/14/iodine-effects-at-different-doses/

Levels of Iodine for Greatest Mental and Physical Health by Guy E Abraham MD, Jorge D Flechas MD and John C Hakala R.Ph: https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Flechas_OI_Jun05.pdf

Validation of the orthoiodo supplementation program by Guy E Abraham MD and David Brownstein MD https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Winter05.pdf

The full list of Dr Brownstein’s research papers can be found here: https://www.hakalalabs.com/resources

This article was written in 2017.

Thyroid: Stop The Thyroid Madness – Testing

Janie Bowthorpe, the author of Stop the Thyroid Madness, has compiled a list of lab tests that she recommends for thyroid patients based on over twelve years researching patient experience. She calls them ‘Ducks in a Row’ and advises that all of them need to be in the optimal range in order for NDT to work and patients to feel better. I am writing a summary with a UK focus to make it easier to understand and also to recommend where to get the tests.

Ignore TSH Results

Your GP will always do a TSH test to diagnose thyroid problems but will usually wait until it is above 10 before prescribing Levothyroxine (synthetic T4). In the USA this number has been reduced to 2.5 which means that people don’t struggle for as long with hypothyroid symptoms before accessing treatment. GPs and endocrinologists will then continue to monitor TSH along with Free T4 to check that you are on the correct dose of Levothyroxine.

STTM says this test tells us nothing about thyroid function; it is only good for diagnosing a pituitary problem. Diagnosis and monitoring are better done through the testing of Free T3 alongside Free T4. If you have hypopituitarism your TSH will be <0.8. Further information here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/hypopituitary-faq/

The TSH test is even less valuable when you are on iodine and/or NDT. Given that the medical profession is obsessed with TSH when monitoring treatment with T4 it is worth knowing that Dr Brownstein warns that TSH will go up in the first few months of starting iodine supplementation and Janie Bowthorpe says that NDT causes TSH to go down. Further information here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/tsh-why-its-useless/

Thyroid UK advises: ‘In America and some other European countries, they have reduced the TSH level to 2.5 which means that anyone above that figure will be treated if they have symptoms of an underactive thyroid.’ http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_the_thyroid/hypothyroidism.html

Do These Tests For Hypothyroidism Diagnosis

Free T3 and Free T4 (Not Totals)

Along with TSH your GP may offer Free T4 as standard on the NHS, however, these are useless without knowing where your Free T3 is, which your GP may refuse to do. If that is the case then request to see an Endocrinologist. If your GP refuses a referral to an Endo then you can do the test privately.
You can order a finger prick test for Free T3 and Free T4 and do the test at home. This test is also useful for hypothyroid patients who have already been diagnosed and are self-monitoring their NDT and iodine treatment. Be sure to leave 12-15 hours between your last dose of NDT and your blood test or you will get a false reading. T3 patients should leave 12-17 hours after their last dose before testing.

Medichecks Thyroid Monitoring finger prick test includes FT3 and FT4 for £39.00 https://www.medichecks.com/tests/thyroid-monitoring Look out for their special offers and ‘Thyroid Thursday’ discounts.

STTM guidance on interpreting T3

If you are on an optimal dose of NDT with no hypothyroid symptoms and optimal adrenals your FT3 will be in the upper part of the range.
If you are on an optimal dose of T3, or a T3 NDT combo, with no hypothyroid symptoms your FT3 will be at the top of the range or over the range.
If you are on NDT (particularly on a dose lower than 180 mg) with high FT3 and continuing hypothyroid symptoms you may have adrenal fatigue (low cortisol).
If you are not on thyroid medication and your FT3 is high you may have Hashimoto’s, which needs antibodies testing, or Graves disease, which needs the TSI test.

STTM guidance on interpreting T4 lab results:

If you are on an optimal dose of NDT you will have a FT4 around the mid-range with FT3 at the top in the presence of healthy adrenals.
If you are on NDT and have low FT4 and a mid-range or slightly higher FT3 it usually means the T4 is converting like mad to give you the T3 you do have, which means hypo, which requires a Reverse T3 test.
If you are optimal on T3, or an NDT and T3 combo, your FT4 will be low.

DO THESE TESTS IF HYPOTHYROIDISM IS DIAGNOSED

Reverse T3 (rT3)

Reverse T3 is produced to get rid of excess T4 but too much can be made if you have high or low cortisol or low iron which clogs cell receptors from receiving T3. Testing is recommended when:

FT4 is ok and FT3 is low with obvious symptoms of hypothyroidism.
FT4 is low and FT3 is high.
If NDT appears not to be working.

Thyroid Antibodies

If you have been diagnosed as hypothyroid thyroid antibody testing will diagnose the autoimmune thyroid disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
For further information: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/hashimotos/

Finger Prick Tests for home testing:

Medichecks Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb)
Medichecks Thyroid Test Plus (FT3, FT4, TGAb, TPOAb)

Blood sample needs to be taken at a Medichecks Centre:
Medichecks Thyroid Check Plus RT3 (FT3, FT4, TGAb, TPOAb, rT3) £159.00. http://www.medichecks.com/tests/thyroid-check-plus-rt3

Look out for Medichecks special offers and ‘Thyroid Thursday’ discounts.

Saliva Adrenal Cortisol

This test is really important because STTM says that 50% of thyroid patients have a cortisol problem. When hypothyroidism is left untreated the adrenal glands take over causing high cortisol. As they get over-worked cortisol starts to lower. Low cortisol causes fatigue and high Reverse T3 which means the brain doesn’t get the T3 it needs to feel better. Increasing NDT becomes problematic until the adrenals are healthy.

Do not use Medichecks or Regenerus to test adrenal function. The Genova 4-point test is recommended in the UK: https://www.gdx.net/uk/product/adrenal-stress-profile. When checking out use practitioner code A42AQ (Thyroid UK).

Go here to fill out a form and Thyroid UK will send you your results: http://thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testing/genova.html

Be sure to read the following list of medications to avoid before taking the test: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/supplements-and-meds-which-affect-adrenals/

Interpreting 4-Point Cortisol Test Results

Post Awakening should be about 40 (the highest result)
+ 4-5 hours should be about 12.32
+ 4-5 hours should be about 4.75
Prior to Sleep should be EXACTLY 0.33
DHEA will adjust when cortisol is addressed.

More detailed adrenals information in this group here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/natural-thyroid-health-uk/adrenal-fatigue/280209755771682/

Hormone D (Vitamin D3)

Vitamin D is actually a hormone and not a vitamin so Morley Robbins calls it Hormone D. Unless you are getting 20 minutes of sun exposure (without sunscreen) daily throughout the year it is likely that you are deficient in this essential hormone.

If you are deficient Morley Robbins advises to AVOID increasing your levels by taking Vitamin D3 supplements. He recommends Rosita Cod Liver Oil capsules as part of the Root Cause Protocol and optimising Magnesium as the 25(OH) enzyme requires Mg to work properly. Stopping Iron supplements will also help as Iron rusts the 25(OH) enzyme and increase the Magnesium burn rate.

Stop taking Cod Liver oil, or any other D3 supplements, including your multi, 5 days before testing.

Interpreting Results

Morley Robbins says:
‘25-hydroxyvitamin D’ (the storage form) doesn’t need to be above 52.416 nmol/L or 21ng/mL.
‘1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D’ (the active form) should be no more than 1.5 to 2.0 times the above.

Ask your GP to do this test or do the finger-prick test from Medichecks: https://www.medichecks.com/vitamin-d-tests/vitamin-d-25-oh
More information increasing D with the Root Cause Protocol here:
https://gotmag.org/the-root-cause-protocol/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy

Magnesium

Optimal RBC Magnesium values:
6.0 -7.0mg/dl
2.4-2.57 mol/L
3.37-5.77mEq/L
These numbers are the minimum anything less is Magnesium deficiency.

Iron/Ferritin

This test is useful if you are pooling.
The best test is the iron panel which can be done via finger-prick with Medichecks: https://www.medichecks.com/tests/iron-status-check
Ensure you stop iron supplements 5 days before testing. Test on day 15 of cycle, i.e. before, not after, your period.

STTM Guidance
Iron/Total Iron: 23 is optimal
TIBC: optimal 1/4 above the bottom number in the range
Transferrin Saturation: optimal at 25-45% or close to 35%
Ferritin: optimal between 70 and 90 ug/L

Morley Robbins Guidance
Iron: 17.9 mmol/L [umol/L (5.8-34.5)]
TIBC: 51 ug/dL [ umol/L (45-72)]
Transferrin saturation: 25-30% (20-50)
Ferritin: not above 50 ug/L

Low ferritin can occur with high iron due to the MTHFR gene mutation impairing the ability to break it down.

Don’t Take Iron Supplements

Morley Robbins say that taking synthetic iron supplements can lead to serious inflammatory conditions and iron toxic-related conditions including autism. He says that iron can hide in soft tissue which is missed through blood tests. The Root Cause Protocol can bring it out of hiding so it becomes bioavailable and not inflammatory.

Morley says that we all need bio available iron from real foods such as beef liver in the amount of one palm-size piece per week in either liver casserole, added to chilli, ragout, or homemade burgers. Some people buy liver capsules and others make their own by cooking it, chopping it into tiny capsule sizes, freezing, and taking a frozen piece per day with a warm drink. Others whizz it raw in a blender then put onto a baking sheet and freeze for 14 days. You can also freeze in ice cube moulds to add to smoothies.

This is a link to an article by Morley Robbins on iron: https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Morley_Anemic-video-transcript.pdf?token=AWwqcrwbsEpfKzIrJ_MdahIm8a4EO6DQ4gq_YHXmfMEgYKpgX8ftdWVM_XU8XOxe28Dcq1WprF6KfaSU-muBFcExPlX8ouxQ7TOoxtT-fufz-jY_owxS427e2j6WWQxBmD9knKDJhAly0lL4AIthEelU0B8OIS97FUWc0_2lPXDiiQ

More information about The Root Cause Protocol can be found at: http://gotmag.org/the-root-cause-protocol/ .

You can also join the Magnesium Advocacy group on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy

B Vitamins

B12
In the UK the B12 reference range is set at 110 – 900ng/l (It is higher in some regions). In the US is it between 200 – 900ng/l, and in Japan 500 – 1300ng/l. STTM recommends being in the upper quarter of the range to feel well.
According to Dr Ben Lynch, due to the MTHFR gene mutation, 60% of the population cannot convert the standard form of B12 that is found in many supplements to the active form of methylcobalamin.
You can increase your levels with B12 injections, or sublingually by sucking Methylcobalamin lozenges, or using a spray which is a better form of delivery than swallowing capsules because the digestive process can inhibit uptake.
Take B12 alongside a good B Vitamin Complex supplement such as Jarrow B-Right which contains the active forms in the correct ratio. B vitamins are water-soluble which means the excess is excreted through urine.
Take B supplements in a split dose at breakfast and lunch to give you energy throughout the day – do not take at night as they can keep you awake. Keep a diary and note down when you started the supplement and how you feel.
Can be tested via finger-prick test with Medichecks https://www.medichecks.com/tests/vitamin-b12-active-folate
For further information: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/b12/

Folate
The Medichecks range is 2.91 – 50.00 The top 1/3 of the range is ideal.
If you are deficient make sure you take Folate and NOT folic acid which is synthetic and difficult to process into the active form for 60% of the population with MTHFR.

Testing
B12 and Folate can be tested via finger-prick test with Medichecks: https://www.medichecks.com/tests/vitamin-b12-active-folate Look out for their special offers and ‘Thyroid Thursday’ discounts.
Stop taking any B12 and Folate supplements, including your multi if it contains, 5 days before testing.

MTHFR
MTHFR is a genetic inability to process synthetic Folic Acid and B12. More information at: https://www.facebook.com/notes/272836473175677/
DIO2
Mutations in the DIO2 gene decrease the conversion of T4 to T3. If the T4 isn’t converting properly to T3 any unconverted T4 will be making excess RT3.

Summary of STTM Protocol

Recommended Lab Tests: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/recommended-labwork/
Ducks in a Row: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ducks-in-a-row/
Interpreting Test Results: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/lab-values/

Further Reading

Recent Advances in Thyroid Hormone Regulation: Toward a New Paradigm for Optimal Diagnosis and Treatment. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2017.00364/full

Collection of Research that Shows the Current Use of TSH and T4 only is Flawed. https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/

NB If you spot any typos or feel that important information is missing please add a comment under the file. 🙂

Thyroid: Hair Mineral Analysis Testing

Morley Robbins Root Cause Protocol recommends hair analysis to find out if you are high in heavy metals or low in essential minerals. It is essential to know your mineral status if you want to improve your thyroid function.

Mandy Chadwick, who is my RCP consultant, recommends this test in the UK:
https://www.the-natural-choice.co.uk/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-Profile-1.html
The Natural Health Choice Ltd
Logistics House
Charles Avenue
Burgess Hill
RH15 9TQ
01444 31 88 22
in**@th****************.uk

Mineral Status & The Thyroid

To make thyroid hormone, the pituitary releases TSH, which requires Vitamin E and Vitamin A, but Copper blocks Vitamin E. The amino acid to make Thyroid hormone comes from tyrosine. Low zinc means low stomach acid, which means we will have compromised digestion and can’t break down the proteins efficiently to get the raw materials to make our hormones such as the amino acid tyrosine. Then the thyroid needs selenium, vanadium, Vitamin C, B2 and iodine to make T4 the inactive form of thyroid hormone. Furthermore, to activate T4 to T3, we need selenium and progesterone. The effect of copper oxidizes vitamin E and C, promoting the back conversion from T3 to T4 and blocks T3 in the cells.

Mineral Status & The Body

Adequate levels of Ribidium support the correct functioning of the thyroid, pituitary gland, and hormones as well as producing serotonin and neurotransmitters. Ribidium is required for enzyme syntheses and glucose metabolism. Ribidium is also required to achieve optimal Iron levels so by boosting Ribidium you will help anima. Ribidium balances Potassium and we know that we need adequate Potassium to support adrenal function.
Ribidium also has a relationship with Lithium, which in turn affects Sodium, Magnesium, and Potassium. Lithium supports kidney and liver function thus raising Calcium and Potassium levels. Low Lithium can cause low stomach acid, depression, and cause an imbalance in sodium and magnesium levels. Low levels affects emotions and causes tremors.

Germanium helps fight viruses and oxygenation of cells.

Low Zinc levels can be raised by reducing Copper. Copper retention antagonizes zinc especially in the gut, predisposing us to low stomach acid, increasing the likelihood of infections, making us more prone to EBV and all the alike.

Zinc is secreted into all body fluids as an antiseptic. That is why low zinc in relationship to a high copper will predispose you or anyone to throat infections, lung infections, gastroenteritis, ulcers, urinary tract infections, and thrush. Zinc is needed for the feel-good brain chemicals serotonin, as well as melatonin, in which a deficiency will make us prone to sleep disturbances, leading to fatigue and all the mental symptoms under the sun. With a continued low level of zinc, the immune system then becomes compromised, and next come the frequent colds, sore throats, ear infections, and skin stuff, including eczema warts and moles. A zinc deficiency can manifest as asthma in the lungs, and the continuation of this cycle can manifests more chronicity, leading to glandular fevers, leading to chronic fatigue. Then come to the insidious diseases later in life we call our diabetes, arthritis, depression and cancers.

High copper will decrease molybdenum, which is one of the primary nutrients that opposes copper. No coincidence that many studies link a molybdenum deficiency to cancer of the breast, stomach, colon, and esophagus.

When minerals are out of balance this can affect detox pathways.

We need bioavailable copper and lithium to be in be able to absorb/store B12

Magnesium and sulphur are the foundation of vitamin D absorption and storage

Rubidium regulates iron

Potassium and lithium regulates the absorption and assimilation of calcium and potassium is needed to calm the heart.

Liver casserole…Rositas codliver oil, vitamin C and our adrenal cocktails

As copper increases in cells and tissues ( vit C and the protocol can begin shifting copper)

This can cause unhealthy rise in calcium whilst potassium will drop.

This affects emotions, feelings, energy, slows the thyroid

If copper is not bioavailable potassium can increase above sodium levels.

It is so important to work on the full protocol to manage our bioavailable iron and copper.

With thanks to Mandy Chadwick for providing the above information.

Thyroid: Amino Acids

Amino Acids and Thyroid Function

There are 22 Amino Acids, nine of which are known as ‘essential’ and can only be found in protein-containing foods. We need 30 grams of protein three times per day for good mental health. Protein-rich foods such as poultry, seafood, nuts, dairy, and seeds contain all the amino acids we need. Vegan, vegetarian, and processed diets high in refined carbs and low in protein as well as those that lack the vitamin and mineral co-factors found in fresh vegetables and fruits may cause low Amino Acids and will require supplementation.

Tyrosine

Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid meaning that although it can be found in protein-rich foods it can also be synthesised from the amino acid phenylalanine in the body. Also known as L-Tyrosine, it is a building block of T3 and T4 so it is essential for good levels of thyroid hormones. It can therefore exacerbate hyperthyroid conditions.

Tyrosine is involved in the synthesis of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter — a chemical that transmits signals between neurons — involved in your motor functions and mood. It is a molecule that aids in attention and learning, activated in response to humor, social interaction and food. It is also the precursor to neurotransmitters called Catecholamines which affect alertness, energy, mental focus, drive and enthusiasm.
It should be taken an hour before meals or two hours after in the morning or early afternoon due to the energising effect.

Phenylalanine

L-Phenylalanine; LPA is the L form of Phenylalanine. It is a precursor to Tyrosine. Sometimes people do better on LPA than Tyrosine directly. It is good for people who are experiencing anxiety.  LPA is an essential amino acid used by the body to create a number of vital compounds including dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenalin, and thyroid hormone.

In England I bought BioCare Broad Spectrum Amino Acids 60 caps. It is recommended to take 3 caps per day. I will take one with Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Three capsules contain:
L-Phenylalanine 111mg
L-Tyrosine 87mg

L-Phenylalanine 120 caps from Fair & Pure on Amazon for £14.95. I chose this brand because they don’t contain carcinogenic filler magnesium stearate which is not a good form of magnesium.

DLPA

DLPA is an amino acid containing both the D and L forms of Phenylalanine. This is better suited to those experiencing fatigue rather than anxiety. DPA has twice the endorphins inhibitory effect of DLPA and is more energising so for some anxious people it can be overly stimulating. The D form has a protective effect on Endorphins making them last longer helping with physical pain and helping support feelings of pleasure, reward, and loving on a psychological level. It may help LDN work better.  Do not use DLPA or DPA if you are anaemic as it uses Iron to be metabolised. DLPA should be avoided by patients with malignant melanoma, high bloods pressure, Grave’s disease, or phenylketonuria.

Further Reading
Read ‘The Mood Cure’ https://www.juliarosscures.com/mood-cure/
https://healthfully.com/256233-relationship-between-l-tyrosine-dopamine.html

L-Tyrosine – It’s Benefits For Your Thyroid


https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/nutraceutical/nutritional-supplements-pain-practice?fbclid=IwAR1Kfstc1AkoCLApx34rGESQ3hhrTvmOe4if8FIHmOyOyBfLFRMyyci3ZB8

Gut Healing

Healing your gut is essential so that your body can successfully digest food and absorb nutrients. If you drink alcohol or have taken antibiotics your gut flora will be damaged.  You can heal your gut with the following:
  • Include fermented foods: kefir, sauerkraut etc. which you can buy from health food shops and Ocado. See the recipes below.
  • Make your own bone broth and drink a cup per day. Or buy it ready-made.
  • Increase good fats: use animal fats such as ghee, lard, goose fat, or coconut oil for frying, baking, and roasting. Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil for pouring on salads and other cold foods – do not heat EVOO.
  • Take Oregano Oil capsules at breakfast and lunch for two weeks to kill off the bad bacteria.
  • BioKult probiotic capsules are recommended by GAPs practitioners.

Cut Out

Refined white sugar or other processed sugars and sweeteners (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, erythritol). Use local honey, Stevia, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or Billington’s Molasses sugar.
Margarine which damages cells. Use a spread with coconut, linseed, palm oil (sustainably sourced) or flaxseed oils.  Or use raw grass-fed butter. I use Isigny Sainte-Mere Unpasturised Salted Butter from Ocado.
Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil and replace with the ‘good fats’ as above.
Bleached White flour products. Buy sprouted bread and pasta. Ocado sell Profusion Spelt Fusilli, Rude Health Sprouted Buckwheat or Spelt Flour. I buy Ezekiel sprouted bread from https://www.foodforlife.com and Sprouted Rye and Spelt breads from https://www.everfreshnaturalfoods.com .
Refined carbohydrates.
Oats, unless they are sprouted, or soaked and then the soaking water discarded, are high in phytates which results in mineral deficiencies. “In populations where cereal grains provide a major source of calories, rickets and osteoporosis are common” https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vegetarianism-and-plant-foods/living-with-phytic-acid Buy sprouted rice and oats. Ocado sell Minvita Sprouted Gabba Rice which I cook in bone broth, and Rude Health Sprouted Porridge Oats.
Skimmed milk – use raw/unpasteurised organic grass-fed full fat milk. Real Milk–full-fat, unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows–contains vital nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins A and D, calcium, vitamin B6, B12, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid naturally occurring in grass-fed beef and milk that reduces body fat and protects against cancer). Real milk is a source of complete protein and is loaded with enzymes. Raw milk contains beneficial bacteria that protects against pathogens and contributes to a healthy flora in the intestines. Culturing milk greatly enhances its probiotic and enzyme content, making it a therapeutic food for our digestive system and overall health. I use Gazegil Organics for a monthly delivery of raw milk which I freeze and use to make kefir. https://www.gazegillorganics.co.uk
Refined salt. Substitute with Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt or other whole mineral salt is a health food full of health boosting trace minerals.

Nutrition

There isn’t much point in spending any money on therapies or supplements until you have made changes to the lifestyle choices that could be contributing to poor nutrition.
  • Eat three meals a day with protein at every meal.
  • Cut out all sugar, caffeine, gluten, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, vegetable oils, and margarine.
Sugar is an anti-nutrient that strips essential minerals from your reserves as your body attempts to break it down. Depleted levels of calcium, chromium, magnesium, and zinc leave your body in chaos.
Coffee inhibits iron absorption, affects B-vitamins, and raises cortisol.
Refined carbohydrates, such as baked goods made from white flour, have very little nutritional value and cause your blood sugar to spike. Reduce carbs and eat as advised by Weston A Price http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/be-kind-to-your-grains-and-your-grains-will-be-kind-to-you/.
Alcohol damages the gut lining, causing it to become permeable and ‘leaky’. It also breaks down B-vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin C.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a processed food additive. It is an extremely dangerous neurotoxin (excitotoxin) that shrivels and kills brain cells in the hypothalamus and has been linked to migraines, seizures, ADD/ADHD, heart palpitations, tremors, and MANY other symptoms.
Following a low carb diet such as Weston A Price Foundation (WAPF) for a nutrient dense eating plan that doesn’t remove any food groups. Read Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions.
WAPF also promotes the use of good fats such as lard, goose, and coconut for frying and roasting instead of vegetable oils which are too high in omega 6. Omega 6 imbalance causes inflammation in the body so we all need to increase our intake of Omega 3s. Extra Virgin Olive Oil should never be heated, reserve it for pouring on salads etc.

Further Reading

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon more information at https://www.westonaprice.org/.
Gut & Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell-McBride: http://www.doctor-natasha.com or http://www.gaps.me This book says that children who have had antibiotics or who’s mother had poor quality gut bacteria due to Candida or children born by CS will be deficient in essential good bacteria. As well as behaviour, bad bacteria in the gut affect the immune system.

Recipes

Fermented Vegetables

Preparation
· You will need a 2 litre Kilner jar or similar.
· 1 chopped cucumber and 1 chopped white cabbage
· Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
Step 1: Make the brine solution
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of quality sea salt or Himalayan pink salt in 1 litre of hot water – preferably filtered. I say hot or boiling water to ensure that the salt dissolves in the water before adding it to your chopped vegetables. Leave it to cool. Too much salt kills the bacteria, which slows the fermentation causing it to fail.
Step 2: Make your base
Always use chopped white cabbage and cucumber for the base as they produce the good bacteria needed for a successful ferment.
Step 3: Experiment with flavours
You can add other chopped vegetables such as cauliflower, green beans, and beetroot and layers of fresh chopped herbs such as dill, bay leaf, basil, tarragon or sea vegetables.
Step 4: Add the brine
Put the layers of cabbage, cucumber, and other ingredients in the jar then pour over the cooled brine solution ensuring the vegetables remain at the bottom of the jar and are completely covered with brine at all times.
Ferment the vegetables at room temperature for at least 3 days opening the jar every day so the pressure doesn’t build up. After 3 days put the jar in the fridge and use it for around 6 months.

Chicken Bone Broth

1 organic chicken carcass
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar (raw apple cider, brown rice, or white distilled)
1 chopped onion
2 chopped carrots
3 chopped celery sticks
2 tbsp frozen parsley / 2 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
½ tsp thyme
Method
Roast an organic chicken, eat the meat, and reserve the carcass and bones.
Add the carcass, bones, and additional ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cover with filtered water.
Simmer in slow cooker for 6 to 72 hours.
Strain and freeze into smaller batches or keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Add to rice for cooking, casseroles, soups, gravy, or serve as a drink (with added salt to taste).
Only reheat once.

Raw Milk Kefir

These are the instructions for traditional kefir from grains. It is a cost-effective way of making your own probiotic drink as Kefir grains can be reused indefinitely and they will continue to multiply. I make my kefir continuously by brewing a small amount each day in raw milk which is much healthier than pasteurised milk because it has all the enzymes. I buy online monthly from Gazegil Organics and freeze it. You can also use Coconut milk but you will periodically need to put them in some milk to help them to thrive.
My family needs 1 litre per day, and I brew it in a Boden ice-tea jug which has a plastic toothed sieve at the top to stop ice coming out of the jug when you pour and is perfect for kefir.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon kefir grains per 250ml raw milk
2 glass containers
muslin
rubber band
strainer
spoon
Place 1 tablespoon kefir grains and 250ml of raw milk into a glass jar.
Cover with a muslin so they can breathe and leave it out at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 24-48hrs or until the grains have risen to the top of the milk. At a temperature of 20C or more it should only take 24 hours.
Strain the kefir into another jar using a plastic mesh strainer. You can now drink the liquid immediately or cover with a lid and place in the fridge to chill first.
It should taste sour like yogurt and slightly effervescent or bubbly. If it tastes or smells more like curdled milk, then your kefir grains are not active enough to produce a good fermentation.
The kefir grains that are in the strainer can then be put back into the empty jar (rinse the jar first, if needed). Add more fresh milk and repeat the process. If you do not want to make another batch right away, store the grains with enough milk to cover them in the fridge. You can store them with the lid on, as they will not produce much gas when refrigerated. Replace the milk with fresh milk once a week if you are storing them long-term.
There is no need to rinse the kefir grains in between brews. This will weaken them, especially if the water contains chlorine — this can actually kill your grains. If you must rinse your grains because they are dirty or contaminated in some way, then use only spring water.
Here is the info on the importance of probiotics to support healthy gut bacteria which in turn improves the immune system and mood, particularly important if all of your gut bacteria have been flushed out following antibiotics and other drugs: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/24/one-of-the-most-important-steps-you-can-take-to-improve-your-health.aspx

The Health Risks of White Refined Sugar

This letter and article can be sent to the head teacher of your child’s school if, like me, you feel that the amount of white refined sugar on offer throughout the school day is excessive.  Issues such as sweets being given as rewards by the teachers; parents constantly selling cakes, ice creams, and lollies of the poorest quality for fundraising; confectionary given for snacks; and puddings at lunch. I have been in school staff rooms where there are baskets of cheap biscuits on the tables, and the staff just eat them because they are available and was shocked that there was no fruit basket as a healthy option.

For many adults and children sugar is a habit that they never question. As a former class rep, school council rep, and school governor at various schools my children have attended over the past ten years I have experienced a lot of resistance, from both staff and parents, with regard to limiting white refined sugar for the children.  These people have, in my opinion, not considered their own poor food choices and as a result, many were obese.  To have an obese individual tell me as a fit size 8 woman that sugar is necessary for health was quite bizarre, but such is the power of the ego and denial.

My attempts to educate them about the natural sweeteners available, such as local honey and maple syrup, were immediately dismissed as being ‘too expensive’, without any research on their part.  My suggestion to limit the number of sweet options and therefore save money to spend on one quality option was simply ignored.  They were determined not to look at their own sugar addictions and as a result, were passing on their own health problems to the next generation.  My hope is that if more mothers and fathers write to their schools, this problem can be addressed.

Template Letter

At previous schools my children have attended I requested that they should not be given puddings at school because of the detrimental health effects of white refined sugar. One school had a ‘no sugar list’ and fruit was made available as a substitute to the puddings served after lunch.

Research has proven refined white sugar has a negative impact on general health in the long term but also their mental health in the short term. Refined white sugar is widely known to cause tooth decay, diabetes, and obesity yet it also has the capacity to throw our hormones and neurotransmitters out of balance, causing havoc with our emotions and mental health. In addition white sugar strips the body of essential minerals which affects the immune system.

It could be said that removing refined sugar from the school menus is of particular importance to children as it may reduce absence from school due to illness and improve academic performance due to increased attendance and concentration. Puddings could be eliminated and instead, fruit salad, plain yoghurts and other naturally sweet things such as honey could be offered instead. Fruit yoghurts containing added sugar could be substituted with plain yoghurt sweetened with fresh berries such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

Please find below more detailed research I have conducted which explains the health risks of refined sugar.

Yours sincerely

The Health Risks of White Refined Sugar

Research has proven that white refined sugar has a negative impact on general health in the long term but also mental health in the short term. Refined white sugar is widely known to cause tooth decay, diabetes, and obesity yet it also has the capacity to throw our hormones and neurotransmitters out of balance, causing havoc with our emotions and mental health.

It could be said that removing refined sugar from the school menus is of particular importance to children as it may reduce absence from school due to illness and improve academic performance due to increased attendance and concentration.

However, children might feel aggrieved if puddings were taken off the menu completely so many nutritionists, naturopaths, and health-conscious people suggest the substitution of refined white sugar with natural sugar substitutes. In high quantities natural sugars will also spike insulin and cause obesity but they do not strip the body of essential minerals as refined sugar does so they are considered to be a less detrimental alternative when used in moderation.

Sugar Substitutes

  • Billingtons molasses sugar (in equal measure)
  • Local honey (in equal measure)
  • Organic maple syrup (half the required amount)
  • Organic dates/date syrup
  • Coconut palm sugar

Dr Mercola advises that ‘reducing your sugar intake should be on the top of your list, regardless of whether you’re currently overweight or not’. [1] He bases this opinion on the research of Nancy Appleton, PhD who references articles from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publications to demonstrate that sugar has 100 negative of metabolic consequences on the human body. [2] Some effects are long term such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and premature ageing while others relate specifically to the effects on our children in the short term:

  • Suppression of the immune system impairing defences against infectious diseases.
  • Deficiencies in chromium and copper.
  • Malabsorption of calcium and magnesium.
  • Rapid rises in adrenaline causing hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children but also drowsiness and decreased activity when they come down.
  • Acidic saliva causing tooth decay, and periodontal disease.
  • Lower vitamin E levels.
  • Reduced learning capacity; poor results and learning disorders.
  • Hormonal imbalances such as: increasing oestrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.
  • Worsening the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Compromising adrenal gland function creating problems with stress management.

Nancy Appleton explains that when children in juvenile rehabilitation camps were put on a low sugar diet there was a 44 per cent drop in antisocial behaviour.

The theory that refined carbohydrates such as flour and sugar have a negative effect on health was discovered in the 1930s by Dr Weston Price. He travelled the world examining the teeth and skulls of every primitive race he could find. In his landmark work ‘Nutrition and Physical Degeneration’ he demonstrates that when these tribes were exposed to white sugar and white flour they experienced tooth decay and degenerative diseases for the first time. His work has never been challenged. [3]

The negative effects of refined sugar are caused by the digestive process of glycolysis, which breaks down glucose into energy (ATP). Each step is driven by enzyme reactions with vitamins C, B, zinc, chromium, and magnesium as co factors. Since refined white sugar is devoid of nutrients the body has to draw from its nutrient reserves to metabolize it, therefore using up more nutrients than it supplies. Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride says that ‘to metabolise only one molecule of sugar the body requires around 56 molecules of magnesium. Consumption of sugar is a major reason for widespread magnesium deficiency … leading to high blood pressure, neurological, immune and many other problems’. [4]

The regular consumption of refined white sugar therefore depletes nutrient stores which has a knock-on effect in how the body functions. Dr Carolyn Dean explains that ‘drawing on the body’s nutrient reserves can also lead to chronic mineral deficits, especially in magnesium (a mineral required for more than 300 different enzyme activities) and chromium (a trace element that regulates hormones such as insulin), putting you at risk for dozens of diseases, from depression to attention deficit disorder to asthma.’ [5]

She also explains how refined sugar compromises immune function: ‘Two cans of soda (which contain 24 teaspoons of sugar) reduce the efficiency of white blood cells by 92 per cent – an effect that lasts up to five hours, according to Kenneth Bock MD an expert in nutritional and environmental health. Since white blood cells are an integral part of your immune system, if you happen to meet a nasty virus or bacteria within five hours of drinking a few colas, your immune system may be unable to fight off the invader.’ [5]

Refined white sugar is the worst kind of sugar for the body because the refining process strips the sugar cane plant of its naturally occurring nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The refining process removes 93 per cent of its chromium, 89 per cent of its manganese, 98 per cent of its cobalt, 83 per cent of its copper, 98 per cent of its zinc, and 98 per cent of its magnesium. In the 1920s, Sir Frederick Banting, a Canadian medical researcher scientist who first discovered insulin, visited Panama to study diabetes. He found almost no incidence among the workers who ate the whole sugarcane plant daily but the disease was rampant in the group of Spanish employers who ate the end product: refined white sugar. [5]

Low levels of magnesium and B Vitamins have been found in people suffering from anxiety and depression. Vitamin B12 deficiency, which can also be caused by vegetarian and vegan diets, is recognised by medical professionals as a cause of anxiety. Dr Myhill says that ‘psychological problems in children and anxiety are rising because of Western diets rich in sugar and refined carbohydrate. This results in a tendency to hypoglycaemia which causes adrenaline release and therefore exacerbates any underlying tendency to anxiety.’ [6]
Dr Wilson explains that ‘our nervous system requires several dozen minerals, vitamins, fatty acids and amino acids to function at all properly. Deficiencies of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, D3 and E are rampant, especially if one eats any refined foods.’ [7]

Christiane Northrup MD believes that magnesium is important because it ‘helps keep adrenal stress hormones under control and also helps maintain normal brain function’. [8]

In its natural form, the sugar cane plant is a complex carbohydrate, which means it contains all the properties of a whole food: vitamins, enzymes, and minerals. The refining process turns it into a simple carbohydrate or a devitalized artificial product. The fructose contained in fruit is a natural, whole food, which can be easily digested by the body with no stress or depletion of mineral stores. Fruit is a complex carbohydrate and a complete food containing vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. When complex carbohydrates are broken down, the result is a usable glucose molecule. Simple (refined) carbohydrates are not easily broken down so they ferment in the digestive tract to make alcohol, acetic acid, and carbon dioxide, which cannot be used by the body. [9]

The NHS currently recommends ‘no more than 19g a day for children aged 4 to 6 years old (5 sugar cubes), and no more than 24g (6 sugar cubes) for children aged 7 to 10 years old. [10] These upper limits can easily be reached at breakfast time with foods that are typically considered ‘healthy’: fruit juices, yoghurts, and cereals can contain shocking amounts of added refined sugar. Fruit-flavoured yogurts can contain upwards of 19 grams of sugar; 12 grams of which is added sugar while a 150ml glass of fruit juice can contain 12.9g. An article in the Telegraph reported that ‘children’s breakfast cereals can contain as much as three teaspoons of sugar – the equivalent of two and a half chocolate biscuits’. In a 30g serving the children’s cereals with the highest sugar content are Coco Pops with 12g, Kellogg’s Frosties with 11g, and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut also with 11g. [11]

References

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/23/is-sugar-more-addictive-than-cocaine.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/05/04/sugar-dangers-part-two.aspx
https://www.westonaprice.org/uncategorized/physical/
Campbell-McBride MD, Natasha Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Medinform Publishing, 2010.
http://www.drcarolyndean.com/articles_scary_truth_about_sugar.html
http://drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Anxiety_-_diagnosis_and_treatment
http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/ANXIETY.HTM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiane-northrup/magnesium-calcium_b_509115.html
http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/sugar/Sugar-The-Sweet-Thief-of-Life/
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/sugars.aspx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11373080/The-10-most-sugary-breakfast-cereals.html
https://www.naturalnews.com/034185_glucose_vitamin_C.html
http://healitwithfood.com/161/vitamin-c-vs-sugar-a-battle-royal/

Additional Links

http://doctoraseem.com/treat-sugar-like-tobacco-to-save-lives-and-rapidly-improve-population-health/
Type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3874486/

Jamie Oliver’s Documentary ‘Sugar Rush’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jplo68eENYA
Short version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS4zLOws7jM

Further Reading

John Yudkin, Pure, White & Deadly Penguin 1972, 0-14-008353-7 https://www.bookfinder.com/isbn/0140083537/?st=sr&ac=qr&mode=basic&author=&title=&isbn=0-14-008353-7&lang=en&destination=us&currency=USD&binding=*&keywords=&publisher=&min_year=&max_year=&minprice=&maxprice=

Root Cause Protocol

The Root Cause Protocol is based on two core truths:

  1. The body cannot create energy without Magnesium and bioavailable Copper.
  2. All pathogens and inflammation feeds on unbound Iron.

STOP

  1. STOP Vitamin-D3/D2 Supplements (they KILL Liver Retinol that is needed for Cp).
  2. STOP Calcium Supplements (Ca BLOCKS Magnesium and Iron absorption)
  3. STOP Iron Supplements (Iron SHUTS DOWN Copper metabolism). For those who don’t like eating a palm sized pieced of beef liver every week these capsules are recommended by RCP practitioners: http://www.perfectsupplements.com/Perfect-Desiccated-Liver-p/desiccatedliver120.htm&nbsp;
  4. STOP synthetic Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid disrupts the Copper < > Cp bond)
  5. STOP High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and Synthetic Sweeteners (HFCS Lowers Liver Copper & Raises Liver Iron)
  6. STOP LOW Fat Diet (Saturated Fat is needed for proper Copper absorption). Read Sally Fallon’s ‘Nourishing Traditions’ or visit the Weston A Price Foundation website: https://www.westonaprice.org.
  7. STOP Using Industrialized, “Heart Healthy” Omega-6 Oils! (e.g. Vegetable Oil, Soybean, Corn, Canola Oils). Use raw butter for spreading, goose fat for roasting, lard and coconut oil for frying, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for pouring on salads.
  8. STOP Using products with Fluoride (toothpaste, bottled water, etc).
  9. STOP Taking Multivitamins (they contain the first four items above, plus trace amounts of fluoride).
  10. STOP Using Citrate in Foods & Supplements (e.g. “Natural Calm”).
  11. STOP Using Colloidal Silver as an Antibiotic (It lowers Copper status in the body! Nanonized Silver is ok).

STARTS (PHASE 1)

  1. START taking trace mineral drops. RCP practitioners recommend Trace Minerals Research ‘ConcenTrace’ which you can buy on eBay and Amazon. I take in the morning as they can be stimulating.
  2. START taking the “Adrenal Cocktail”. 4oz fresh orange juice, 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar and 1/4 tsp sea salt at 10am and 2pm on an empty stomach to balance electrolytes. You can also use Trace Minerals 40,000 volts to add to cold drinks, which is also available on Amazon and eBay.
  3. START taking Whole Food Vitamin C Supplements 400-800 mg daily. I am taking Acerola Cherry vitamin C from Bodykind and Dolphin Fitness: https://www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/natures-own-cherry-c-200mg-60-capsules/92065
  4. START taking Magnesium Supplements. Around 650mg daily for women and 850mg daily for men or take 10mg per kg body weight. Be mindful of cofactors: B6, Boron, and Bicarbonate. I have been taking 2 x Intelligent Labs Mag Enhance https://uk.intelligentlabs.org/product/magenhance-best-magnesium-supplement/ and 20 sprays of the oil before bed: https://www.bodykind.com/favourites/1226-betteryou-magnesium-oil-goodnight-spray-100ml.aspx
  5. START taking Cod Liver Oil Supplements. You can take Rosita Cod Liver Oil in liquid or capsule form from https://www.rositarealfoods.co.uk

STARTS (PHASE 2)

  1. START Taking natural sources for B Vitamins:

Because I know that I have the genetic gene mutation known as MTHFR, which means that I cannot process naturally occuring b-vitamins into the active form, I am taking Jarrow B-Right which is a methylated b-complex together with Yoga Nutrition Liquid B12.

STARTS (PHASE 3)

  1. START the Ancestral/Paleo Diet (HIGH Fat, HIGH Protein, LOW Carb). Read Sally Fallon’s book ‘Nourishing Traditions’ or go to the Weston A Price Foundation website: https://www.westonaprice.org.
  2. START taking Silica / Diatomaceous Earth. Take 1 hour away from food and take for 10 days on and then have 10 days off. I use Health Leads Diatomaceous Earth from Amazon or eBay.
  3. START Taking Boron Supplements. 1 – 3 mg/day, or add 1 tbs borax to magnesium baths (aids in Synthesis of Cp, and regulation of Fe). Trace Minerals also do a liquid Boron supplement. This is in the Trace Minerals Concentrace Formula so you may not need additional, check with an RCP practitioner.
  4. START Taking Taurine Supplements 500 – 1,000 mg/day (Supports liver copper metabolism). This is included in the Intelligent Labs Mag Enhance.
  5. START Taking Vitamin E Supplements. 800 mg to support adrenals. Must be mixed tocopherols. I take Solgar Vitamin E capsules from Bodykind.com
  6. START Taking Iodine Supplements. (PREREQUISITE: Mg RBC & Se RBC need to be optimal). See files of this group for more info.
  7. START Donating Blood (for Men & Post-Menopausal Women every 3 months, for Women still cycling, twice a year)

Additional Factors to Consider regarding Ceruloplasmin (Cp):

  • Chlorinated water is hard on Copper & Magnesium, thus is hard on Cp production.
  • High dose Zinc supplements BLOCK Copper absorption, which reduces Cp production.
  • Molybdenum is known to chelate Copper and BLOCK Ceruloplasmin production.

Raising Hormone D

Morley Robbins recommends not taking Vitamin D3 supplements because it is made from lanolin sheeps wool. Both synthetic D2 and lanolin based D3 irritate the gut and force calcium out of the bones into the bloodstream leading to calcification, blood pressure, cataracts, hardening of the arteries, placentas and more.

Adequate magnesium will enable our bodies to produce Hormone D under the skin. Daily sunbathing for 20 mins, magnesium, and cod liver oil are natures answer. To raise Hormone D levels you can drink raw milk and eat raw cheese from organic, grass-fed cows.

You can take Rosita Cod Liver Oil in liquid or capsule form from https://www.rositarealfoods.co.uk

Iron

Morley Robbins say that taking synthetic iron supplements can lead to serious inflammatory conditions and iron toxic related conditions including autism. He says that iron can hide in soft tissue which is missed through blood tests. The Root Cause Protocol can bring it out of hiding so it becomes bioavailable and not inflammatory.

Morley says that we all need bio available iron from real foods such as beef liver in the amount of one palm-size piece per week in either liver casserole, added to chilli, ragout, or homemade burgers. Some people buy liver capsules and others make their own by cooking it, chopping into tiny capsule sizes, freezing, and taking a frozen piece per day with a warm drink. Others whizz it raw in a blender then put onto a baking sheet and freeze for 14 days. You can also freeze in ice cube moulds to add to smoothies.

Liver

Liver is natures super food: containing bioavailable copper, iron, B12 and zinc, amongst other things.

For those who don’t like eating a palm sized pieced of beef liver every week these capsules are recommended by RCP practitioners: http://www.perfectsupplements.com/Perfect-Desiccated-Liver-p/desiccatedliver120.htm

Potassium

A banana contains approximately 350mg of potassium but we need 4,700 to 6,000 mg of potassium per day, depending on lifestyle. You can get this from green vegetables and the adrenal cocktail by adding Cream of Tartar.

Ceruloplasmin

The retinol in liver and cod liver oil builds ceruloplasmin. Ceruloplasmin makes copper bioavailable which makes iron useable and improves function.

Mandy Chadwick explains about ceruloplasmin:

Ceruloplasmin is a protein that transports bioavailable copper around the body.

Ceruloplasmin is like putting new spark plugs in our vehicles.

When the ceruloplasmin is weak then we feel weak.

Bioavailable copper gives energy and is vital in so many body functions including the mitochondria in the cells.

People with chronic fatigue, ME , and lethargy have poor mitochondrial function. They need bioavailable copper. This means boosting ceruloplasmin.

Many people are copper toxic from contraceptive pills, HrT, antibiotics, medications, copper IUDs, copper water tanks/pipes and anti fungal sprays on crops.

This is how people become copper toxic but their bodies are crying out for bioavailable copper.

We can boost ceruloplasmin. Liver, codliver oil and natural wholefood vitamin C are a good start.

Many foods such as flour, cereals, synthetic supplements, ready meals, baby foods, formula milks have synthetic added iron.

This type of iron and copper bind together in the liver and cause oxidative stress. In other words a rusty liver with iron and copper grinding us to a halt.

Copper toxicity causes ADHD, mood disorders, feeling wired and at other times exhaustion.

We need bioavailable iron and copper. That means the type that the body can use to give energy and vitality.

This is another reason to avoid synthetic vitamins, ascorbic acid vitamin C, prepared fast foods, contraceptive pills, antibiotics, and copper IUDs.

In test results ive seen very high ceruloplasmin. This can mean its weak if the iron levels show high % saturation, high ferritin, high inflammatory iron markers. Equally low ceruloplasmin is not healthy. Its all about balance of iron and copper.

In fertility the head of the sperm needs bioavailable copper.

In pregnancy the fetus needs bioavailable copper and iron.

We must never take iron supplements based on a haemoglobin reading . This leads to more toxic iron being stored and hidden in soft tissue and the liver.

In contrast we need bioavailable good iron from liver, meat, eggs, watercress and real foods.

Boosting ceruloplasmin gives us renewed energy, improved health, lifts mood and long term health is dramatically improved.

Root Cause Links

More information about the Root Cause Protocol here:

https://gotmag.org/the-root-cause-protocol/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy

My Daily Supplements

On Waking

Iodine: 12mg maintenance dose

Adrenal Cocktail: pink salt, cream of tartar, ACV.

Breakfast

1 x Dropper of Trace Minerals Boron

1 x tsp ReMyte Mineral Solution

1/4 x tsp ReCalcia Calcium Solution

1 x Perfect Desiccated Liver Capsules

1 x Rosita Cod Liver Oil Capsules

1 x Wholefood Vitamin C

1 x Jarrow B-Right

Lunch

1 x Perfect Desiccated Liver Capsule

1 x Rosita Cod Liver Oil Capsule

1 x Wholefood Vitamin C

1 x Jarrow B-Right

Afternoon

Two dashes of 40,000 Volts in vegetable juice

6 x DE capsules (1 hour away from food) start with 1. 10 days on / 10 days off.

OR

2 tsp Rice Bran Powder in warm water (start with 1/4 tsp and build up)

Dinner

2 x Perfect Desiccated Liver Capsule

1 x Rosita Cod Liver Oil Capsule

1 x Vitamin C

Later

3 x Intelligent Labs Mag Enhance

1 x Solgar Inositol to help sleep

Bed Time

20 sprays of Better You Magnesium Oil

Further Reading
Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. Dr David Brownstein
https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?isbn=9780966088236&st=xl&ac=qr

Iodine Protocol: Supporting Nutrients

This is essential reading for anyone considering supplementing with Lugol’s Iodine. It gives a summary of the companion nutrients that are recommended to be taken with high-dose iodine supplementation to assist with detox. Iodine is a powerful detoxifier and the companion nutrients assist the body with the detox process, helping to eliminate all the environmental toxins that accumulate in the tissues over time.

Everybody living in the West will have high levels of toxins in the body causing brain fog, lowered IQ, depression, anxiety, low energy, and a depleted immune system. These toxins include heavy metals such as aluminium and mercury from vaccines; chlorine absorbed from swimming pools; fluoride from toothpaste; and bromine from fire retardants in fabrics and carpets.

Because Iodine is a strong detoxing aid for mercury, chlorine, fluoride, and bromine there is a recommended protocol to support the body’s antioxidant system and avoid detox symptoms. The companion nutrients also prevent damage from the unopposed action of Thyroid Peroxidase. Dr Brownstein recommends starting the supporting nutrients two to four weeks before starting Lugol’s iodine supplementation.

Buying Lugol’s in England

  • Lugol’s solution is available on eBay in liquid form at different strengths.
  • J Crow is the recommended brand of Lugol’s liquid which is available in the UK on Amazon and eBay.
  • The Heath Leads brand is NOT recommended.
  • Use this tool to calculate how much is in each drop at each strength: dose in a drop calculator by Micah Coffey http://dropulator.com
  • You can buy it in tablet form called Iodoral or LugoTabs from Hakala in the USA.
  • Hakala LugoTabs are available in 3mg, 6mg, 12.5mg, 25mg, and 50mg. Formulated by J. Charles Hakala – a member of the original “Iodine Project” team.
  • After six months at 50mg take a 24 Hour Iodine Loading Test to check your levels of Iodine, Bromine, Chlorine, and Fluoride: https://www.hakalalabs.com/24-Hour-Urine-Iodine-Loading-Test-Kit_p_45.html

How to take it

  • Put your Lugol’s drops in a glass of water and drink it – don’t take it neat as it is caustic.
  • Swallow tablets with water.
  • Take it in the morning as it can be stimulating so avoid it at night.
  • Best taken 30 to 60 minutes away from Vitamin C – ie not at the same time.

Supporting Nutrients

Can be taken two to four weeks before starting Lugol’s to prepare the detox pathways.

Vitamin C 

Dr Brownstein recommends 3,000 to 6,000 mg of ascorbic acid per day. You can follow this while you are detoxing and switch to the whole food C when you start your maintenance dose or just take the whole food vitamin C.

Since reading Morley Robbins I feel it is better to use whole food vitamin C such as Acerola Cherry or Camu Camu powder or capsules and take them regularly throughout the day. I take one with breakfast, one mid-morning, one at lunch, one mid-afternoon, and one at dinner which is 1,000 mg of vitamin C but because it is from a wholefood source it is more bio-available for the body.

Magnesium

Stephanie Buist Recommends 200-400 mg magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, or magnesium citrate.

I take three capsules of Intelligent Labs MagEnhance before bed and I use 20 sprays of Better You Magnesium Oil at night to aid sleep.

The Magnesium Advocacy Group on Facebook is a good place for advice: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/

Selenium 

Selenium deficiency is the underlying prerequisite for iodine induced thyroid damage in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Selenium supplementation is protective and prevents thyroid damage from iodine.

Dr Brownstein recommends 100 to 200 mcg.

Stephanie Buist recommends 200 to 400 mcg.

The Life Extension Se-Methyl L-Selenocysteine version is preferred by many because it is suitable for people with the MTHFR gene mutation.

Too much Selenium is toxic so it is important to do a blood test (via blood draw) called Selenium RBC to determine your status: https://thyroiduk.org/about-selenium/

More information about Selenium: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/selenium/

Niacinamide (B3) 500 mg twice a day. Not Niacin because Niacinamide has fewer side effects, such as flushing. Take at breakfast and lunch as B-vitamins can be stimulating.

Vitamin B2 100 mg three times a day. Take at breakfast and lunch as B-vitamins can be stimulating.

The exact B2 and B3 formulas are combined and available online in one product as the ‘ATP Cofactors’.

A good multivitamin.

STTM and Stephanie Buist recommend taking a good, food state multivitamin. However, Morley Robbins has formulated the Root Cause Protocol with the aim of avoiding iron, calcium, plant based Vitamin A, synthetic vitamin D, and synthetic vitamin C. Following Root Cause means you don’t need to take a multi-vitamin.

http://gotmag.org/the-root-cause-protocol/

Salt and the Iodine Protocol 

There are two different times for using salt with iodine.

1. Daily Supplementing

Dr Brownstein Recommends supplementing with 1-1.5 tsp of unrefined salt (Celtic or Himalayan) to assist in the removal of toxins released by iodine. You should not, under any circumstances, utilize table salt. This is a toxic substance that has been cleaned by a brine containing chloride. Unrefined salt such as Celtic Salt contains a full spectrum of minerals. These minerals help to maintain balance in the body and do not “behave” like a refined salt. You will not experience hypertension or edema from a good unrefined salt. Unrefined salt is also healing for the adrenals which can become stressed during detoxing. Not all sea salt is unrefined. It should be gray, red or black in color. If it is white, odds are it is refined.

2. Salt Loading

This is a process that is undertaken ONLY to help when the individual is feeling overloaded by the toxins being released from supplementing with iodine. It should only be used for a few days at a time to relieve symptoms. If you find that you require continued use for longer periods of time, the MG dosage of Iodine should be reduced to slow the release of toxins down and not overload the detoxification pathways.

How to perform the salt loading technique: Add 1⁄2 tsp of unrefined salt into 1⁄2 cup of warm water. Drink the mixture and follow it up with a 12 oz glass of filtered water. Repeat every 30-45 minutes as needed until urination begins. Only do this for a maximum of three days. If detox symptoms persist stop Iodine for two days and then restart at the last dose; known as pulse dosing. Some people regularly stop at the weekends to allow their bodies to catch up with detox.

Further Reading

Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. Dr David Brownstein https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?isbn=9780966088236&st=xl&ac=qr

Stephanie Buist’s Guide to Supplementing: https://steppingstonesliving.com/the-guide/

STTM Companion Nutrients: The Key to Success on the Iodine Protocol: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/selenium/

Lynne Farrow’s Iodine Boosters: http://www.lynnefarrow.net/boosters

Brownstein 5 part lecture on salt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7tpZq-o5OQ

Is Lugol’s Iodine Safe?

Lugol’s formulation is safe because it is water-soluble so any excess is easily processed by the kidneys and excreted via urination. This means that iodine does not build up to toxic levels in the body unless you take over 1g per day, according to Iodine expert Dr David Brownstein.

The NHS recently decided to recommend Iodine, but sadly the level of 0.14mg per day is too low. Dr Brownstein recommends 50-300mg daily to push halides out of the body to reach 94% saturation and 12-50mg for a maintenance dose.

The 2% Lugol’s solution that Amazon.com allows to be sold is not strong enough to push toxic halides out of the thyroid unless you take 20 drops or more in one go. So it will drive people mad to have to count out that many drops every morning when previously they could take one or two drops of a much stronger solution.

Medical professionals have historically warned against taking Iodine due to fears about toxicity. This fear is not based on any scientific evidence and the following article aims to summarise the history of iodophobia.

Fears About Iodine

Despite the safety of Lugol’s and the success the medical profession has had in treating many illnesses with it, there is still a lot of unfounded fear. Dr Guy Abraham, a leading expert on iodine, says: ‘Medical iodophobia has reached pandemic proportions. It is highly contagious and has wreaked havoc on the practice of medicine and on the US population.’

Commenting on the medical professions’ success with iodine Dr Bruce West says that ‘From 1900 to the 1960s almost every single US physician used Lugol (iodine) supplements in his or her practice for both hypo- and hyperthyroid, as well as many, many other conditions-all with excellent results. In fact, iodine was considered a panacea for all human ills. Today a phobia generated by medical misinformation against iodine therapy has caused physicians to avoid this powerful treatment like the plague.’ http://oawhealth.com/article/iodine-fulfillment-therapy/

Dr Abraham explains that ‘Medical Iodophobia is the unwarranted fear of using and recommending inorganic, non-radioactive iodine/iodide within the range known from the collective experience of three generations of clinicians to be the safest and most effective amounts for treating symptoms and signs of iodine/iodide deficiency (12.5-50mg/day).’ Dr Abraham is a former professor of Endocrinology, who over a career spanning 35 years has received numerous research awards. Between 1997 and 2005 he researched high-dose iodine therapy in over 4,000 people and dispelled the medical myths and fears regarding iodine therapy. You can find links to all of his research papers here https://www.hakalalabs.com/Research_ep_41.html

Dr Abraham points out that this fear is because ‘medical textbooks contain several vital pieces of misinformation about the essential element Iodine, which may have caused more human misery and death than both world wars combined.’ https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

Wolff-Chaikoff Study

Gabriel Cousens MD (a Holistic Doctor, Homeopath, and Chinese Herbalist) explains that fear of iodine within the medical establishment is based on a ‘poorly performed … study alleging what is known as the Wolff-Chaikoff effect. The Wolff-Chaikoff effect suggested that theoretically, hypothyroidism could occur as a result of excess iodine’. https://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/ 

However, as Laura Power PhD explains, the study ‘was misinterpreted, and used to describe a case of hypothyroidism caused by excessive iodine intake. In fact: toxic radioactive iodine was injected intravenously. It had nothing to do with food or supplement iodine intake. And it cannot explain why high intake of natural iodine does not cause the same effect.’ http://www.laurapower.com/page26.html

Commenting on the study Dr Abraham says ‘these rats never became hypothyroid and thyroid hormones were not measured in their plasma. Nevertheless, the W-C effect, which did not even occur in the rats, was extrapolated to humans’. https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Sept05_2.pdf

Medical schools still teach that iodine causes hyperthyroidism, but Dr Brownstein says high-dose supplementation with Lugol’s has only been associated with hyperthyroid symptoms in rare cases when the dose exceeds 1g daily. He recommends mg doses based on twenty years of experience which he says do not cause hyperthyroidism. In fact, as Dr Cousens points out, ‘people who increase their iodine intake do not have signs of hypothyroidism (such as fatigue, hair loss, headaches, weight gain, weakness, and dry skin) and they maintain normal T3 and T4 levels’. https://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=601

Lugol’s Iodine is Safe

It is safe to take Lugol’s Solution as a supplement because the body can naturally get rid of any excess through the kidneys and urine within 24 hours – hence why the Hakala 24-Hour Loading Test is recommended to check iodine levels. It measures the amount of iodine excreted by the body over a 24-hour period to accurately measure iodine sufficiency when combined with a bromine test.

‘Iodine has an unusual excretion pattern in the urine. There are no reabsorption mechanisms or preservation mechanisms in the urinary tract to keep this element from excretion in the urine and hence loss from the body. Iodine is the trigger mechanism for apoptosis and it is imperative that a constant source of iodine in the urine be available. If the body was capable, and it is not, of holding the iodine inside and therefore allowing urine with no iodine to flow through the renal system, then the renal system would be deprived of iodine. This would immediately lead to abnormal cells and cancer. The Western diet contains nowhere near the levels of iodine needed to saturate the thyroid.’ http://iodinesource.com/ThyroidGland.php

A Brief History of Iodine & Iodophobia

Iodine was discovered by accident in 1811 by the French chemist Bernard Courtois (1777 – 1838) – the son of a saltpeter (potassium nitrate) manufacturer. When operating the factory in his father’s absence he accidentally added too much sulfuric acid during the extraction of sodium and potassium from the ashes of seaweed and noticed a violet vapour was released, which condensed into crystals on colder metal objects. In 1813 the English chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778 – 1829) published a paper describing the substance as being similar to Fluorine and Chlorine. He named it ‘Iodine’ from the Greek for ‘violet coloured’. Davy and the French scientist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (1778 – 1850) were rivals who both claimed priority over discovering its elemental nature, but later acknowledged Courtois as the true discoverer of iodine. Courtois went on to manufacture iodine and iodine salts which were recognised for their medicinal value.

Iodine came into medical history in 1820 when Dr Jean François Coindet (Swiss, 1774-1834) discovered that iodine could reduce goiters/goitres (enlarged thyroids) and successfully treated 200 patients, without serious complications, not only with goitre but also breast cysts and syphilis complications. Coindet did not use Lugol’s because it hadn’t yet been invented. So he tried three other preparations: a solution of potassium iodide, an iodide-iodine solution (different from Lugol’s), and an alcoholic (tincture) solution that Coindet later recommended as the safest and easiest to use. Twenty drops of these solutions contained approximately 50 mg of iodine. Coindet routinely prescribed 10 drops three times a day for the first week, then 15 drops thrice a day for the second week and 20 drops three times a day subsequently. He only rarely prescribed higher doses. The recommended duration of treatment was 8-10 weeks. Results of the treatment were spectacular: softening and shrinking of goitres occurred after 8 days, and disappearance or a significant improvement in disfiguring or uncomfortable goitres occurred later in many cases. Coindet received wide recognition in Europe for his work with iodine with one medical journal commenting in 1824 ‘it cannot be doubted that it possesses strong claims to the attention of the bold and judicious practitioner’. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/coindet.html

Coindet is regarded as the first to use iodine in the treatment of goitre, but the Londoner Dr William Prout (1785 – 1850) says that he treated one case in 1816, but he didn’t publish this until 1834 when he said he was ‘instrumental in St Thomas’s Hospital adopting the remedy in 1819’. http://www.jameslindlibrary.org/articles/the-discovery-of-thyroid-replacement-therapy/

Although a link was established between iodine deficiency and goitre, iodine soon became controversial when it was administered at very high doses by other doctors. Iodophobia was started in the medical profession by Dr J P Colladon (1769-1842), who was well-known in Geneva in the early 1820s. He reported that among the nine patients he had treated with iodine, six had developed severe ill effects, predominantly gastric pain and discomfort. However, we are not told which formulation he was using and at what dose – he certainly wasn’t using Lugol’s, as it wasn’t invented at that time. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/coindet.html

Although the doctors at this time knew very little about iodine, in the interests of public safety they decided it should be regulated as a semi-controlled substance and gave it a Required Yearly Amount (RYA) that was not based on guesswork and not science. http://iodinesource.com/HistoryOfIodine.php

Lugol’s Solution was invented in 1829 by the French doctor Jean Lugol who discovered that bonding iodine to potassium made it water-soluble. The solution contains iodine (I), potassium iodide (KI), and distilled water (H2O). Being water soluble makes it much safer than previous recipes because the kidneys can easily process it and excrete the excess through the urine. The water-soluble nature of Lugol’s allowed for the later discovery of its antiseptic qualities.

In 1877 William Ord identified the disease myxoedema (or myxedema in the US) which had the symptoms of being slow in mind and body and always feeling cold with a swollen face. In 1883 Felix Semon thought the cause might be an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/4/675.full

More scientific research on iodine started in 1896 in Germany when Baumann and Roos discovered that the thyroid contained a high level of iodine, which was a key discovery. In 1917 US thyroid specialist David Marine (1880 – 1976) discovered that goitrous thyroids contained less iodine than healthy ones. In a study of over 1,000 girls with enlarged thyroids, Marine gave them 200mg Lugol’s solution for ten days, every six months, for two and a half years – a similar amount to Coindet 100 years earlier. Improvement was seen in 56% and there was no indication of iodine poisoning. Marine conclusively established that iodine was an elemental body requirement whose absence could lead to goiter and cretinism. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/4/675.full

It is also said that Marine discovered that the RYA had been set too low and the yearly amount should be given in a fortnightly. But the medical establishment denied the findings and this work was never endorsed. We should remember that at this time the pharmaceutical industry was the most profitable business and growing rapidly, so iodine would have been a threat – and it still is. http://iodinesource.com/HistoryOfIodine.php

In 1910 the Swiss surgeon Professor Theodore Kocher initiated the first wave of iodophobia in a report stating that he had ‘experienced symptoms of hyperthyroidism following ingestion of potassium iodide’. He did not perform a scientific experiment, he merely reported his own experience which resulted in 15 years of iodine fear.

In the UK the phenomenon of ‘Derbyshire neck’ (non toxic goitre due to iodine deficiency) was well-known in the early 20th century. The Medical Research Council delivered a report in 1922 concerning iodine status and goitre on a national basis. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/thyroidclub.html.html

In the 1920’s the Hindu scientist and chemist Dr Sunker Bisey (d 1935) was cured of malaria with iodine and decided to study it. Bisey discovered an electrification process which exposed iodine to a magnetic field, which detoxified it, transmuting it into a form the body could fully recognise and assimilate. It was known as Atomic Iodine, Detoxified Iodine, or Atomidine before being known as Nascent Iodine. Bisey built up a successful business when thousands of people were routinely cured of different ailments which had no other treatment. They took around 100 drops per day of Atomidine with each drop containing 1/100 grain of iodine. http://www.thyroidnascentiodine.com/history.htm

In 1927, the first International Goiter Conference was held in Bern, Switzerland where endemic goiter was discussed by the 188 delegates and the importance of iodine prophylaxis using iodized salt was recognized. The US government recommended iodized salt and based the new required daily amount (RDA) on the previous RYA, which is a trace amount only just enough to prevent goiter, with no additional health benefits. David Marine’s scientific research on higher doses was ignored and forgotten along with Bisey’s research on Atomidine. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/birth_of_spirit.html

Between 1917 and 1927 iodized salt was introduced and used as a substitute for iodine supplementation. But as Dr Abraham says: ‘the bioavailable iodide from iodized salt is only 10% of the estimated 0.75 mg iodide in iodized salt consumed per day. That amount, 0.075 mg of bioavailable iodide, represents less than 1% of the amount of iodide used in Marine’s study, that is, 9mg; and also less than 1% of the recommended daily intake of iodine from Lugol solution.’ https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

During the 1930’s the introduction of thyroid hormones caused iodine to be ignored by the majority of thyroidologists in the treatment of goiter and hypothyroidism. According to Dr Abraham ‘this progressed to medical iodophobia in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Following World War II, there was a systematic attempt to remove iodine from the food supply of Christian America. Iodophobic misinformation, well synchronized with the introduction of alternatives to iodine supplementation in medical practice, strongly suggest a well-planned conspiracy’. https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

Before World War II Lugol’s was ‘considered a panacea for all human ills’ but the Wolff Chaikoff publication in 1948 wrongly concluded that high levels of Lugol’s ‘blocks the synthesis of thyroid hormones, resulting in hypothyroidism and goiter’. Dr Abraham says that this interpretation was wrong because the ‘authors did not measure thyroid hormones in the rats studied’ and as a result ‘hypothyroidism and goiter were not observed in those rats’. He explains that ‘the correct interpretation would be: iodide sufficiency of the thyroid gland was achieved when serum inorganic iodide levels reach 10 (to the power of ) 6 M’. In 1969 Wolff decided to arbitrarily define four levels of iodine excess which started at 0.2 mg per day with an intake of 2 mg or more considered to be excessive and potentially harmful. https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf 

Dr Abraham says that ‘attempts to reproduce the Wolff-Chaikoff experiments in rats by other investigators were unsuccessful’. They found that concentrations ‘4 orders of magnitude greater than the amount proposed by Wolff and Chaikoff to cause inhibition of organification of iodide by the thyroid gland. Yet, thyroidologists refer to these in vitro studies to confirm the Wolff-Chaikoff Effect. They must think we are really stupid. Daily intake of 50 grams (50,000,000 micrograms) iodide would be required to achieve these peripheral levels … in the adult human subject, a heroic amount by any standard.’ https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

Although the dose was substantially limited by the medical profession, researchers still continued drawing the link between goiter, cretinism, and iodine deficiency. André Ermans (1923-2008) authored over 300 scientific publications on goitre, origin of endemic cretinism, physio-pathology of iodine deficiency, influence of dietary goitrogens on thyroid function, congenital hypothyroidism, and programmes for iodine prophylaxis. André Ermans was not only the leader of numerous clinical and experimental studies of thyroid disorders, but he also led several scientific missions and campaigns for the eradication of iodine deficiency in Central Africa, Algeria and Vietnam. André pursued the study of iodine deficiency from 1959 throughout the rest of his career, mainly with François Delange and Claude Thilly. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/ermans.html

André Ermans was the mentor of Francois Delange who started researching iodine deficiency disorders in 1960, and successfully treated goiter in children throughout Central Africa. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/delange.html In 1962 Andries Querido studied goitre in Indonesia reporting severe iodine deficiency and cretinism. http://www.eurothyroid.com/about/met/querido.html

As well as iodized salt, in the early 1960’s potassium iodine was added to bread as a dough conditioner so that one slice of bread contained the full RDA of 150 ug. But by 1965 the government evaluated that in a typical diet contained 1 mg of iodine with 726 ug coming from baked goods. This, according to London et al, was causing ‘the inhibition of thyroid hormone synthesis in thyrotoxic patients’. In 1969 Pitman et al reported on the negative impact of the iodization of bread and Wolf published an iodophobic review. Dr Abraham believes that these events were ‘well synchronized for maximum effect’ and soon after bakers discovered the goitrogen bromate as a replacement. https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

However, in 1963 F W Clements in Tasmania ‘reported that a daily intake of 1.4 mg of potassium iodide (10 times the RDA) by infants and children for 16 years resulted in reduction in the prevalence of goiter, but in some regions, that amount of iodine was not sufficient enough to have a significant effect on the rates of goiter’. https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

Dr Cousens summarises the reduction in iodine intake during the 20th century: ‘In 1911, 900 milligrams daily (900,000 micrograms/day!) were considered usual and safe doses. In 1950 the Japanese had 100 times more iodine in their diet than Americans. In 2001 they had 202 times more iodine than Americans and were using up to 13.8 milligrams daily as opposed to the average US intake of 425 micrograms daily. Unfortunately there has been no real study, ever, about what is the optimal safe dosage of iodine. Be that as it may, no one has ever died from iodine overdose or allergic reactions. It is safe to suggest that at least the guidelines given by Drs Abraham and Brownstein for the use of 12-50 milligrams of iodine daily, for overall sufficiency and well-being, and up to 100 milligrams/day for diabetics is reasonable in doing much more for our health than to prevent cretinism, mental retardation, and goiter. Moreover, iodine is a universal health mineral having 22 major health and wellbeing benefits (see below) for humans, many of which are largely unknown to this day.’ http://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/

Iodophobia within the medical establishment has increased since the pharmaceutical industry gained dominance in the mid-20th century. As Mark Sircus OMD explains: ‘From 1900 to the 1960s almost every single U.S.physician used Lugol’s (iodine) supplements in his or her practice for both hypo and hyperthyroid, as well as many, many other conditions all with excellent results. In fact, iodine was considered a panacea for all human ills.’ http://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/

Dr Donald W Millar Junior explains that the medical establishment fears iodine because they are wary of most naturally occurring, non-patentable, non-pharmaceutical agents. He goes on to say that ‘thyroidologists cite the Wolff-Chaikoff effect and warn that TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) blood levels can rise with an iodine intake of a milligram or more. The Wolff-Chaikoff effect, a temporary inhibition of thyroid hormone synthesis that supposedly occurs with increased iodine intake, is of no clinical significance. And an elevated TSH, when it occurs, is subclinical. This means that no signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism accompany its rise.’ https://www.sott.net/article/226366-Iodine-for-Health Mark Sircus OMD explains that ‘magnesium and iodine deficiencies are the causes of autoimmune thyroiditis, not excess iodide’. http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

The Nobel laureate Dr Albert Szent Györgi (1893 – 1986), who discovered vitamin C, writes: ‘When I was a medical student, iodine in the form of KI (potassium iodide) was the universal medicine. Nobody knew what it did, but it did something and did something good.’ Today we know what iodine does and how much it can help people but modern allopathic medicine is asleep at the switch letting people suffer and die for it’s lacking.’ https://www.life-enthusiast.com/articles/iodine-universal-nutrient

Dr Brownstein says ‘I was initially hesitant to use higher (>1 mg) doses of iodine due to my concern about causing adverse effects. In reviewing much of the literature there was concern about larger doses of iodine causing hyperthyroid symptoms. However, a further, more exhaustive review of the literature failed to prove that iodine, in milligram doses ever was shown to cause hyperthyroid symptoms. In fact, as iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the last 30 years in the United States, autoimmune disorders and hyperthyroid symptoms have been increasing at near epidemic proportions.’ https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Brownstein_OI_Sept05.pdf

Dr Abraham concludes: ‘After 60 years in the dark Ages, following the second wave of medical iodophobia, inaugurated by the Wolff-Chaikoff Iodophobic Effect, iodine is emerging recently as an important nutrient for protection against breast cancer and the degenerative diseases of the Western World. For the first time, a simple loading test became available to assess whole body sufficiency for iodine. … for the first time, the detoxifying effect of iodine at 50 mg per day on the toxic halides fluoride and bromide was reported.’ https://www.hakalalabs.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf_resources/Abraham_OI_Jun06_2.pdf

Fears About Hashimotos

The fears about Iodine supplementation causing Hashimotos are rife in the UK thyroid FaceBook groups I frequent. I have lost count of the number of times I have recommended that people research the benefits of Iodine for thyroid health only to get slammed by an admin or an aggressive know-it-all who warns about Iodine causing Hashimotos.

It is essential to take the companion nutrients to assist with the detox process and in particular Selenium should not be missed out as it protects against Hashimotos. After six months of supplementation ensure that you perform a Selenium RBC blood test to ensure that you don’t go above range, which is as harmful as being under range.

Group member and knowledgeable iodophile Brian Haviland comments: ‘The prevalence of Iodophobia has resulted as an unfortunate lack of knowledge about the importance of these factors. There have been several reports where widespread governmental dosing of populations with Iodine has resulted in an increase in hypothyroidism and thereafter this data was taken to support the fear of Iodine (Germany was one example). Instead, the results should have indicated the need to add Selenium and the other factors.”

Does Lugol’s Solution Expire?According to J Crow, a reputable maker of iodine, Lugol’s Solution is made from Distilled Water (H2O), Potassium Iodide (KI), and Iodine (I). The product is a stable chemical mixture and does not “expire”. http://www.jcrowsmarketplace.com/faq.aspx

Further Reading

Dr Abraham, Dr Brownstein, Dr Flechas, and John Hakala have done extensive research into the safety and benefits of Iodine supplementation and their research can be found here: https://www.hakalalabs.com/resources

Iodine: Why do I need to supplement?

Iodine Deficiency

Dr Gabriel Cousens says ‘Iodine is found in every single one of our body’s hundred trillion cells. Without adequate iodine levels, life is impossible. Iodine is the universal health nutrient and brings health on many levels.’ http://drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-supplements-and-dosages/

95% of us are deficient in this essential, yet misunderstood, micro-nutrient due to poor nutrition and an increasingly toxic environment. Our diets contain half the Iodine they used to while our need for it has increased greatly due to toxins like chlorine, fluoride and bromine, according to the extensive research of Dr Guy Abraham, Dr Jorge D Flechas, and Dr David Brownstein throughout the 20th century. All of their research papers can be found here: https://www.hakalalabs.com/Research_ep_41.html

They tested more than 4,000 patients taking iodine in daily doses ranging from 12.5 to 50 mg, and in those with diabetes, up to 100 mg a day. Their report (https://www.optimox.com/iodine-study-10?fbclid=IwAR3QxhjCmSgF8POTpvMwHx0iQxX9XAkvmtOKzYWoMPjPFAecGMFVowJXQFQ) found that ‘iodine does indeed reverse fibrocystic disease; their diabetic patients require less insulin; hypothyroid patients, less thyroid medication; symptoms of fibromyalgia resolve, and patients with migraine headaches stop having them.’‘It is not just the fact that the tide of toxic chemicals is rising and accumulating in our cells and blood streams, wrecking physiological, emotional and mental havoc, but there is also a sheer drop in the quality and quality of key nutrients being consumed. Iodine is a perfect example, in today’s world the last thing you want to be short on is iodine. Iodine is detected in every organ and tissue in the body’. Mark Sircus OMD (Bring Back the Universal Nutrient Medicine) Iodine deficiency causes muscle cramps, cold hands and feet, proneness to weight gain, poor memory, brain-fog, constipation, headaches, edema, myalgia, weakness, dry skin, and brittle nails. Such sub-clinical hypothyroid issues are prevalent in our toxic world resulting in anxiety and depression which are wrongly treated by SSRIs.

‘We might debate about the optimum dosage but we should find quick agreement that iodine is absolutely necessary for a healthy thyroid as well as healthy ovaries, breasts and prostate. Besides the greater risk for breast cancer in iodine-deficient women, there is convincing evidence that iodine deficiency increases also the risk of thyroid cancer. These are just a few of the reasons to become interested in iodine. In an age of increasing toxic exposures, we all need more not less iodine because it has very specific protective effects against several common poisons like fluoride, bromide, and to a lesser extent it helps eliminate lead and mercury from the body.’ Mark Sircus OMD (Bring Back the Universal Nutrient Medicine)

Dietary Sources of Iodine

Natural sources of iodine include most sea foods, (ocean fish, but not fresh fish, shellfish, especially oysters), unrefined sea salt, kelp and other sea weeds, fish broth, butter, pineapple, artichokes, asparagus, dark green vegetables and eggs.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, the average daily consumption of seaweed by mainland Japanese is 4.6 gm(22). At an average of 0.3% I in seaweed (range 0.08-0.45%), that would compute to an average daily intake of 13.8 mg. Overall, the Japanese living in Japan are among the healthiest people in the world, based on cancer statistics.

13.8mg is a maintenance dose, but it isn’t enough to push the toxic halides out of folks living in the West, who are chronically Iodine deficient. Extensive research has shown that we need 50-300mg per day. Over 1.5 years I had to increase up to 150mg daily just to correct my thyroid. Breast cancer requires 300mg for at least 6 months.

Kelp does contain iodine but it’s not very high. Seaweed is a natural form of iodine and it was used for centuries as a good source of iodine the problem now is that if the seaweed is harvested from the polluted seas it can take up bromide or fluoride or chlorine and not half as much iodine. The other problem with seaweed now is the radiation problem from Fukushima where a lot of the seaweed came from.

Eating fish won’t give you iodine in mg amounts. To get 13.8 mg iodine, you would have to eat 10-20 pounds of fish per day.

Iodine & Thyroid Function

David Brownstein MD says: ‘Iodine is an integral nutrient for promoting thyroid function. Presently, iodine deficiency is occurring at epidemic levels.’ (Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, p 14)
Dr Brownstein says: ‘The relationship between thyroid function and adequate iodine levels has been known for over 50 years. In order for the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone, there must be adequate amounts of iodine present. In fact, T4 thyroid hormone has four iodine molecules attached to it while T3 has three iodine molecules attached to it. When there are inadequate iodine levels in the body, the thyroid gland will be unable to make thyroid hormone and the thyroid gland will be unable to make thyroid hormone and the thyroid gland will be more prone to developing a goiter (ie an enlarged thyroid gland). Lack of iodine in the soil and food will lead to poor thyroid function.’ (Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, p 84)

‘Along with magnesium and selenium, iodine is one of the most deficient minerals in our bodies. Iodine is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormone, but selenium-dependent enzymes (iodothyronine deiodinases) are also required for the conversion of thyroxine (T4) to the biologically active thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3). Selenium is the primary mineral responsible for T4 to T3 (thyroid hormones) conversion in the liver.’ Mark Sircus OMD

Dr. Donald Miller Jr warns that ‘Women with goiters (a visible, non-cancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland) owing to iodine deficiency have been found to have a three times greater incidence of breast cancer.’
Some Stop the Thyroid Madness patients have found that they were able to lower their thyroid medication when following the iodine protocol and it is possible that if you start the iodine protocol early in your thyroid disease you may be able to fully restore thyroid health and avoid medication. But even if this is not the case the iodine will support your body in many other ways such as reducing brain fog and increasing energy.

Iodine & Energy

‘It is well established that the iodine content of the thyroid gland is dependent upon the iodine available in the food and water intake of the individual. If the iodine intake is low the gland is deprived of an element it needs to do its work. We learn in Vermont folk medicine, however, that this gland performs other functions besides killing harmful germs in the blood. The first is the rebuilding of energy with which to do the day’s work. There is a definite relationship be-tween the amount of energy you have and your iodine intake.’ Dr D C Jarvis ‘Folk Medicine’ http://lugols.com/

Iodine & ADHD

Dr. Brownstein talks about Iodine and ADHD during his lecture, ‘Iodine: Why You Need It. Why You Can’t Live Without It’ at the Health Freedom Expo in Schaumburg, Illinois- June 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOGHEoqc2UM
‘A high prevalence of ADHD has been reported before in children with genetic traits that interfere with thyroid function.’ http://theiodineproject.webs.com/addadhdautism.htm
Researchers in Italy found women in iodine deficient regions demonstrated reduced thyroid hormone and elevated TSH levels unlike women in iodine rich areas. Women in iodine poor regions gave birth to much higher numbers of children with impaired psycho-neurological development. ‘Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in the offspring of mothers exposed to mild-moderate iodine deficiency: a possible novel iodine deficiency disorder in developed countries.’ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15579758Additional research discovered higher levels of ADHD in these regions as well (Clin.Endocr.1005 April, 42(4)/409). A ten year follow up of children in the study showed a 69% incidence of ADHD in children born in iodine deficient locations compared to 0% in iodine sufficient areas. An 11-point decline in IQ was also noted in the children from iodine deficient areas.
‘Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder in People with Generalized Resistance to Thyroid Hormone’ http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199304083281403‘A second function of iodine is to calm the body and relieve nervous tension. When nervous tension runs high there is irritability and difficulty in sleeping well at night, and the body is continually on a combat basis, organized for fight and flight. All these points stress a body’s need for iodine to lessen nervous tension, relax the body and enable it to or-ganize for peace and quiet, by the building and storing of body reserves against time of need. I have learned through Vermont folk medicine that it is possible to repeatedly change an irritable, impatient, and restless child under ten years of age into a calm, patient individual within two hours’ time by giving one drop of Lugol’s solution of iodine by mouth in a vegetable or fruit juice or in a glass of water made acid in reaction by adding a teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar. I have repeatedly prescribed this in order to make it possible for a mother of a racehorse-type little boy or girl to be able to live comfortably with the child. I have never seen it fail to calm down a nervous child.’ Dr D C Jarvis ‘Folk Medicine’ http://lugols.com/

What if I am taking Levothyroxine?

Mark Sircus OMD says that ‘All thyroid patients should be on iodine therapy’ and reaching whole body iodine sufficiency with 90-95% saturation is essential ‘to counter the side effects of thyroid hormone medications. Long-term use of these drugs is associated with depletion of thyroid and tissue iodine levels, as well as increased rates of cancer.’ http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

Iodine & Hormones

Why does iodine have such a noticeable effect on hormonal problems such as thyroid, breast diseases, fibroids, and endometriosis?
‘Iodine is utilized by every hormone receptor in the body. The absence of iodine causes a hormonal dysfunction that can be seen with practically every hormone inside the body.’ Dr George Flechas

The 2007 iodine conference reported that iodine down-regulates estrogen (particularly increasing estriol while decreasing estradiol and estrone) and up-regulates progesterone.

Iodine & Cancer

Stephanie Buist ND says: ‘Cancer is a result of mutated cells. Iodine is absolutely critical for something called the P53 gene which is known as the ‘keeper of the genetic code’. Without iodine and selenium, it will not function correctly to eliminate abnormal cells from the body, such as cancer. Cancer patients have taken between 50 to 300 mg per day successfully. http://steppingstonesliving.com/theguide/
Dr. Sebastiano Venturi, in Evolution of Dietary Antioxidants: Role of Iodine, makes it clear that iodine is a crucial antioxidant and apoptosis-inductor with anti-tumoral and anti-atherosclerotic activity. When we supplement with iodine we will see increased antioxidant activity [i] and immune system function [ii].
“Breast, ovarian, and skin cysts – In addition to fixing almost all cases of breast cysts, iodine also has a remarkable healing effect on ovarian cysts,” says Dr. Robert Rowen. Though few know it swollen ovaries is a condition analogous to goiter, when the thyroid swells in response to iodine deficiency. Goiters often also result in a hormonal imbalance leading to hypothyroidism. In the case of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) the starvation of the ovaries causes them to become cystic, swollen and eventually unable to regulate the synthesis of their hormones leading to imbalances and infertility. Russian studies when investigating Fibrocystic breast disease also discovered that the greater the iodine deficiency the greater the number of cysts in the ovaries. Since 1928, the iodine concentration in the ovary has been known to be higher than in every other organ except the thyroid. Dr. Browstein has found in his research with high doses of iodine that cysts on the ovaries became smaller and began to disappear. He also found that libido in women and men increased.

It takes 20 to 40 times the amount of Iodine needed to control breast cancer and fibrocystic disease than it does to prevent goiter.

‘We are just beginning to rediscover the amazing curative powers of iodine. While it may not be the panacea that old-timers have claimed it to be when used alone, when combined with magnesium chloride, ALA, and in the special case of cancer, with sodium bicarbonate, we will find something quite extraordinary. Survival Medicine for the 21st Century contains a revolutionary protocol for breast cancer that includes magnesium chloride, iodine and sodium bicarbonate. These three emergency room medicines when combined and used correctly will revolutionize the field of oncology but will threaten the pharmaceutical industry whose profits will suffer enormously from the widespread use of these inexpensive, safe and effective nutritional medicines.’

Mark Sircus OMD

Gabriel Cousens MD reports that ‘In 2003 Dr. Zhang showed that potassium iodide reversed lung cancer tumours in mice. The total amount administered was 100 milligrams (100,000 micrograms) daily for 20 days, and this is approximately 50 times more than the amount Wolff–Chaikoff recommended in 1948 and 250 times more than your recommendation. The study lasted for 60 days: 34 days to grow 5 mm tumours and approximately 26 days for the lung cancer tumours to significantly decrease.’ http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=601

Iodine & Adrenal Function

Dr Malcolm Maclean has studied the role that iodine and mercury play in adrenal function and has speculated that the symptoms Dr Brownstein considers to be caused by bromine detox at the start of iodine supplementation might also caused by the effects of mercury. High levels of mercury that have accumulated in the body from amalgam fillings and vaccines can damage the adrenal, thyroid, and methylation functions, which in turn cause adrenal insufficiency. The detox effects of headaches, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations etc. often experienced on low iodine doses are usually blamed on bromine but Dr Maclean says that many of the symptoms are similar to those of adrenal fatigue.
Individuals with high mercury levels are likely to be suffering from adrenal insufficiency which may therefore cause them to feel worse on starting iodine. It is possible that the companion nutrients, such as unrefined salt and vitamin C, recommended in the Iodine Protocol to relieve bromine detox also alleviate any adrenal fatigue. So unless an adrenal test is done prior to iodine supplementation a patient wouldn’t know if the symptoms were due to bromine detox or poor adrenal function.

Thyroid hormone and cortisol work together but if your adrenals are not functioning correctly iodine can cause a ‘crash’ because the cells cannot handle the increased levels of stimulation (via thyroid hormone) without a correspondingly elevated level of cortisol. This ‘crash’ can cause you to feel dreadful and may give you palpitations. Dr Malcolm Maclean considers that the issues with adrenal function may explain why some people who start on a low initial dosage and increase slowly find that they feel worse than those on a higher dose. It is thought that the antioxidant effect of iodine at higher doses may help to overcome the issues with adrenal function and bypass the crash effect. Mercury is known to be able to block cortisol synthesis by acting as an oxidant and therefore exerts stress on the antioxidant system, causing low cortisol levels. Because iodine opposes mercury at high levels it should support the antioxidant system. This means that by expelling mercury from the body adrenal function can be restored, thus improving cortisol levels through better cortisol synthesis.

Patients taking iodine have said that bromine detox symptoms only occur at low doses and not at high doses over 100 mg, which could be due to the antioxidant effect of iodine. Iodine only acts as an antioxidant at high doses when there is enough excess to produce an antioxidant lipid called delta-iodolactone, which is 300 times more powerful than Vitamin C. The body does not make it when there is insufficient iodine available so it is thought that a dose of over 100 mg would be required. At high doses the antioxidant effect starts enabling iodine to support the adrenals and reduce cortisol levels by opposing the strong toxic effects of mercury. High doses also tighten up the mitochondrial membrane preventing leakage of cytochrome C from the mitochondria across the mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol (cytoplasm). This diminishes the oxidative processes in the cytosol and reduces the negative effects of oxidative stress by restoring enzymes which were once suppressed, which assists the recovery of 17-Hydroxylase, 5′ Deiodinase, and Methionine Synthase. Thus contributing to the recovery of adrenal, thyroid, and methylation function respectively which may explain why some people who take 25 mg and feel dreadful can take 100 to 150 mg without a problem.

Dr Maclean says that once your iodine dosage has restored adrenal function by opposing the effects of mercury, any further increase may start to be counter-productive, causing iodine overdose. However, I would take this hypothesis with caution; one needs to bear in mind that the purpose of taking iodine at high doses is also to push out the toxic halides from the thyroid, particularly bromine, so it is important to continue on a high dose until the bromine has been expelled. It is therefore prudent to test iodine and bromine levels regularly so that one is aware when 90 to 95% saturation has been achieved.

Iodine & Cardiovascular Disease

Mark Sircus OMD describes the link with iodine deficiency and cardiovascular disease: ‘The occurrence of iodine deficiency in cardiovascular disease is frequent. The thyroid hormone deficiency on cardiovascular function can be characterized with decreased myocardial contractility and increased peripheral vascular resistance as well as with changes in lipid metabolism. A study done with 42 patients with cardiovascular disease were divided into five subgroups on the ground of the presence of hypertension, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, coronary dysfunction and arrhythmia. When urine concentrations were tested the most decreased urine iodine concentration was detected in the subgroups with arrhythmia and congestive heart failure. An elevated TSH level was found in three patients and an elevation in lipid metabolism (cholesterol, triglyceride) was associated with all subgroups without arrhythmia. The researchers concluded that iodine supplementation might prevent the worsening effect of iodine deficiency on cardiovascular disease.’ [xvi]

22 Functions of Iodine

Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD, lists twenty-two functions of iodine:
1) Iodine helps synthesize thyroid hormones and prevents both hypo – and hyperthyroidism.
2) Iodine sufficiency reverses hypo- and hyperthyroidism.
3) Iodine supports apoptosis. From a broader perspective, one of iodine’s major functions, in conjunction with oxygen, is to support the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death of unhealthy cells), to protect against cancer and facilitate youthing.
4) Iodine activates hormone receptors and helps prevent certain forms of cancer. The primary cause of cancer, from an energetic perspective, is mitochondrial failure. It is clear that the prevention of cancer, particularly cancer of the breasts, thyroid, ovaries, stomach, and oesophagus, is increased with iodine sufficiency. Iodine serves to prevent lipid peroxidation, especially in breast cancer. Deficiencies of iodine also increase the incidences of breast cancer.
5) Iodine protects ATP function and enhances ATP production
6) Iodine prevents fibrocystic breast disease.
7) Iodine decreases insulin needs in diabetics.
8) Iodine helps support protein synthesis.
9) Iodine deficiency is a global health threat. Iodine deficiency, in the general population, yields 1-10% cretinism, 5-30% brain damage, and 30-70% loss of energy. In this holistic context, iodine deficiency is a major threat to global health. Iodine deficiency has increased fourfold in the last 40 years and is considered the most common and yet preventable cause of brain damage throughout the world.
10) Iodine destroys pathogens, moulds, fungi, parasites, and malaria.
11) Iodine supports immune function.
12) Iodine eliminates toxic halogens from the body (including radioactive I-131). One of the most critical toxic health issues we have today is the continued and increasing exposure to radioactive I-131 from Fukushima, which, unlike Chornobyl, has not yet been sealed off. When the thyroid, as well as the whole body, is saturated with healthy iodine it can provide significant protection of vulnerable receptor sites from uptake of radioactive I-131 and also push out any already present. This is known as competitive inhibition and explains why Chornobyl survivors who took iodine, even after the nuclear fallout, escaped thyroid cancer.
13) Iodine regulates estrogen production in the ovaries.
14) Iodine is anti-mucolytic (meaning it reduces mucus catarrh).
15) Iodine neutralizes hydroxyl ions and hydrates the cells.
16) Iodine makes us smarter. As previously mentioned iodine helps with mental functioning. Low iodine is associated with low IQ’s with a difference of up to 13.5 points as cited in the Bleichrodt study of 1994 in children; but iodine deficiency is also associated with mental functioning in adults, because iodine not only chelates lead, but, according to Dr. Jorge Flechas, iodine prevents lead from lodging in the body in the first place. This occurs if enough iodine is supplemented, as discussed above, in order to push out fluoride, a culprit responsible for lead accumulation in the body. Low thyroid function decreases brain circulation, which slows intellectual function. Dr. Steven Langer in the book Solved: The Riddle of Illness, points out that low thyroid function is associated with cognitive impairment, memory loss, depression, slowness of mind, anxiety, suicidal tendencies, and a variety of psychiatric disorders. Bleichrodt, in 1994, did a meta-analysis looking at 17 studies showing iodine sufficiency increases IQ by 13.5 points in children.
17) Iodine prevents heart disease
18) Iodine is needed with the use of cordless phones, cell phones and now smart meters to prevent hypothyroidism.
19) Iodine supports pregnancy (as the fetus undergoes more apoptosis than any other developmental stage).
20) High doses of iodine may be used to reverse certain diseases. At 6 grams daily (which is 6 million micrograms/day or 6,000 milligrams/day!), a much higher dose, iodine has been used to cure syphilis, skin lesions, and chronic lung disease.
21) High doses of iodine may be used for wounds, bedsores, inflammatory and traumatic pain, and restoration of hair growth when applied topically. Iodine has many other uses, including relieving headaches and eliminating toenail fungus.
22) Iodine helps in the diminishing of tissue scarring, cheloid formations, and Dupuytren’s and Peyronie’s contractures, which are hyper-scarring conditions.
Supporting Nutrients Are Essential
By nourishing every cell in your body iodine supplementation can relieve brain fog, low energy, ADHD, chronic fatigue, dry skin, hormonal imbalances, breast and prostate cancer, and more. Because it is a powerful detoxifier of heavy metals and halides (bromine, chlorine, fluoride) it is essential to follow the guidelines in the protocol before starting supplementation. Please read the file Iodine Protocol: Supporting Nutrients.

Buying Lugol’s in England

Further Reading

Books
The Iodine Crisis, by Lynne Farrow
Iodine: Why You Need It, by David Brownstein
Iodine and Breast Cancer, by Dr David Derry. He also highlights the importance of thyroid hormone with iodine for a more multi-targeted approach to cancer metabolism.
Websites
www.BreastCancerChoices.org
www.IodineResearch.com

Facebook Support Groups
Stephanie Buist’s Iodine FaceBook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iodine4health/

YouTube Films
Introduction to Iodine by Stephanie Buist ND: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g15byA3MtQc&feature=youtu.be

Jorge D Flechas MD lecture on Whole Body Iodine Sufficiency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBM2qWKkFxE
David Brownstein MD lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku2lylX13h4
David Brownstein MD – Does Iodine Cause, Worsen, Treat or Improve Autoimmune Thyroid? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6Kpzu2E74

Other
Dr Malcolm Maclean’s article on adrenal function can be read at: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/2016/01/14/iodine-effects-at-different-doses/
This is a good link for working out how many mg each drop of liquid Lugol’s Iodine is worth: http://dropulator.com/

Iodine and Iodide: Functions and Benefits Beyond the Thyroid: http://www.townsendletter.com/Dec2008/iodine1208.htm
Mark Sircus OMD article on iodine: http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

CleanTalk Anti-Spam Protection

This website was inundated with over 500 spam comments a week before I installed CleanTalk Anti-Spam.  I hadn’t noticed until there were thousands of them waiting to be approved, and it took me hours to go through and delete them all.  I looked through the available WordPress Plugins and found CleanTalk and decided to give it a go – and I’m so glad that I did.  Now I get an email once a week with a summary of the items they have blocked for me, which is usually 4-500.  Their software analyses the comments and blocks comments that are generated by Spam Bots.

Go here for more information on how they can help your website: https://cleantalk.org

 

The Teachings of Baba Ram Dass

To cut a long story short; last week I ended up finding myself being faced with having to do a decorating job at home myself that I had tried to pay a professional to do for me.  After being let down by the decorators two rooms needed painting, so I spent time finding the right materials to get the job done.  I had prepared the rooms and found myself ready to open the first tin of paint for the mist coat on the newly plastered wall in my sitting room, when I realised with horror that I hadn’t thought about what I was going to listen to for the next three days I had allocated for the painting task.

Two years ago, when I decorated my dining room, I enjoyed listening (three times) to a seven hour YouTube compilation of all Terrance McKenna’s lectures on ethnobotany from the 1980s.  I yearned for something similar that I could really enjoy, but my mind went blank.  It was Friday, so as usual I listened to Tim Whild’s practical ascension update and after 20 minutes I had my gloves on rollering the wall with the mist coat when YouTube started to autoplay a random channel.  Usually at this point I get up and put something on of my own choosing, but because I was in the middle of painting I decided just to let it roll, and what a treat the universe sent to me: the teachings of Ram Dass.

I felt an instant rapport with his humorous style of speaking and discovered that he had an interest in some of my own paths of enquiry: psychoanalysis, psychedelics, Buddhism, and more recently Hinduism.  He brought all of his experience together in a series of lectures from the 70s, 80s, and 90s in which he discussed his own path to enlightenment, which involved being in his heart when witnessing the suffering of others, practicing meditation, and taking on his Dharma despite feeling that he wasn’t ready or pure enough to help others.

The lectures were selected and remasterd by a lovely group called The Love Serve Remember Foundation, whom I discovered also publish podcasts on their Be Here Now Network by other speakers I have previously enjoyed including: Jack Kornfield and Dr Robert Svoboda.  Jack Kornfield is a real blast from the past for me; I followed his teachings in 2007 when I got serious about meditation, while Dr Robert Svoboda is a more recent discovery after having been introduced to his work via an interview recommended by a friend regarding the use of Cannabis in Hindu culture.

The biggest take away I have received from the past three days is Ram Dass’ teachings about holding compassion and sadness for the suffering of others while simultaneously holding the balancing notion that God and the Universe have created the perfect moment for us all.  Suffering is everywhere and our task is to be aware of it without seeking to make it go away; to accept that suffering is part of the perfection of our experience whilest finding our own way to support others through their suffering.

Who are we to interfere with the path of others?  We all have our own Karma to work through and we need to remember that others do too.  However, we can assist with the relief of the suffering of others by working on ourselves, opening our hearts and remaining in our open hearts so that we can become beings full of love and light to guide and support others through their trials.

Of course, he reminds us that we often create our own suffering due to our desires; so his answer is the elimination of desire as the path to elimination of personal suffering.

He recommended reading the The Bhagavad Gita and the Love Serve Remember Foundation recommend the translation by Eknath Easwaran, which I am looking forward to reading soon along with the companion guide, The End of Sorrow: Vol 1 the End of Sor (the Bhagavad Gita for Living), also written by the same author.

Born Richard Alpert he was dismissed from his job as a professor at Harvard University in 1963 for assisting Timothy Leary with experiments using psychedelics. In 1967, he traveled to India and became a disciple of the Hindu guru Neem Karoli Baba, who gave him the name Ram Dass, meaning “Servant of Ram,” or “Servant of God”.  He died at his home on Maui in December 2019 aged 88, and shortly after the Corona Virus narrative ramped up.  It is amazing that his life’s work has provided us with all the tools we need to get through these challenging times without having to experience them himself.

Namaste.

Enjoy is teachings here: https://www.youtube.com/@BabaRamDassChannel

Go here for books and further information: https://www.ramdass.org/

Enjoy more spirituality podcasts from other speakers on the Be Here Now Network: https://www.youtube.com/@BeHereNowNetwork/videos

Overcoming Narcissistic Abuse

This is an excellent article, written by my teacher Scott Silverston, explaining narcissistic abuse from a Shamanic perspective: https://shamanicspiritmedicine.com/shamanic-blog/2018/12/8/healing-from-narcissistic-abuse-a-shamanic-approach

Watch an interview with Scott Silverston on narcissistic abuse here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzyJEs1OtzY

Sacred Prostitutes II

Here is my second article on the Sacred Prostitute, written in 2020 and published on this blog for the first time.

This series of writings is about brining awareness to the instinctive, erotic facet of feminine nature which has long been misunderstood, devalued, and lost in Western culture. By exploring the positive image of the Sacred Prostitute as a servant of the Divine Goddess of love we can begin to understand what she represents for humanity today.

In contemporary thought, the notion of the Sacred Prostitute confronts us with a mysterious paradox; the Divine Spirit in opposition to corporeal defilement. It is difficult to bring these two words together in a world where mind is separated from matter and Christianity has brought the spiritual in direct conflict with passionate love. Patriarchy’s betrayal of the feminine has caused the Goddess of love, passion, and sex to become lost, severing the divine connection between spirituality and sexuality.

In a world that no longer venerates her we find humanity suffering with an emptiness that is pushed down through substance abuse, addiction, physical abuse, sexual promiscuity, and living busy lives. Female sexuality has been exploited and debased instead of revered, causing both men and women to feel unloved and unworthy of being loved, with many losing the capacity to love.

According to Jungian psychology the Goddess is an archetype that is part of the human psyche, which, when activated, can transform consciousness so that we can experience the vitality of love, beauty, sexual passion, and spiritual ecstasy. When it is inactive, as in modern life, the loss of the archetypal feminine brings discontent and emptiness, devoid of creativity, to the patriarchal collective.

The Sacred Prostitute was a radiant, self-confident, and sensuous woman whose role it was to bring the joy and passion of the goddess’ love to mankind. She was an initiated temple priestess who was spiritually receptive to the cosmic energy of beauty and passion flowing from the goddess. She invoked the Goddess as a transformative power, mediating the split between sexuality and spirituality. This expression of divine love caused the masculine and feminine to unite in divine harmony with the spiritual and the physical, creating spiritual renewal for humanity.

Sacred Prostitutes I

Having written my recent posts on Tantra, a friend suggested I read The Sacred Prostitute, which discusses the sacred feminine in relation to Carl Jung’s work on the architype of the Godess of Love. I realised that I had read this book back in 2020 and was inspired to write a blog post about it, which I never published on this site. So here is the original post.

The divine feminine has been suppressed on this planet for thousands of years by the patriarchal control system. The deception has been passed down through our ancestral lines making it so great that the collective healing process will be painful as it will require us all to confront our beliefs and blockages.

One such misunderstanding which can trigger wounds is about the true role of prostitutes and the meaning of the word prostitution. This is a provocative topic loaded with distortions and trauma experienced by the feminine collective but it is only by shining our light in the darkness and speaking about the truth that we can truly heal.

We need to understand that there are two definitions which have entirely separate meanings:
1. Patriarchal prostitution from the matrix slave system.
2. Sacred prostitution practiced as a spiritual and healing act by divine goddesses.

In the times before patriarchy and the matrix slave system the word ‘prostitution’ was not contaminated as it is now with negative connotations. In its original meaning, prostitution was a sacred act practiced by the temple priestesses who were initiated into the goddess mysteries, the secret teachings of Isis from Egypt. High priestesses who served in the temples were initiated women who offered their bodies and souls to heal men through the free flow of sexual and heart energy and connection to the source.

The origin of the Latin word prostitute means to “stand before” : from pro“before” (see pro-) + statuere “cause to stand, establish,” from PIE root *sta- “to stand, make or be firm.”

The priestess therefore was standing firm in her sovereignty, anchored in her goddess presence in front of the man, expressing and radiating pure goddess love for his healing.

The power of the divine feminine as embodied on earth by Mary Magdalene has been edited out of Christianity by falsely labelling her as a prostitute in the Bible. According to xxx in a previous incarnation in Ancient Egypt she was a High Priestess initiated into the Mysteries of Isis, and therefore a sacred prostitute. The Romans would have known this and sought to diminish her feminine energy and influence. In spite of this Mary and Jesus came together in a powerful union of the divine feminine and the divine masculine to anchor universal love in the Earth, therefore enabling Christ Consciousness to slowly develop and bring in the great awakening.

You can read more about the sacred prostitutes here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/907793.The_Sacred_Prostitute

Tantra & The Power of Hugs

This blog post was inspired by a man I know who was assisting a couple with their family business. The couple were experiencing difficulties in their relationship, which was causing major financial issues. He discovered that their financial problems had been caused by the husband having not healed enough from his childhood trauma to stand in his true divine masculine power in either their romantic or business relationships.

He also correctly identified that as a result of the husband’s shortcoming, the wife was lacking connection with the divine masculine energy. However, rather than working with the husband to build the divine masculine in him, he took it upon himself to supply the energy to the wife himself through full contact hugs. After a while she abruptly dismissed the man for a reason that was nothing to do with his work performance. Unbeknown to him, his act of compassion for the wife may have been creating a bond of intimacy, which she then decided to break.

Musing on the sudden and brutal nature of his dismissal I felt compassion for him and experienced a pain across my heart chakra which I transmuted back into love. The performance of this metaphysical action caused me to remember the power that we all hold in our heart space. I have previously written about the importance of holding heart-centred, loving energy for discernment and as a way of moving away from ego into the divine energy of 5D, but I haven’t yet shared my research into Tantra and how it introduced me to another powerful role the heart chakra plays.

In chapter three of her book, The Heart of Tantric Sex – A Unique Guide to Love and Sexual Fulfilment, Diana Richardson introduces the enlightening concept of ‘Polarity and the Positive Poles of Love’. She explains that the basis of Tantra is the creation of sexual experience through the dynamic interplay between the opposing positive and negative magnetic forces of the masculine and feminine energy.

The male represents the positive and the female the negative and it is this polarity that is the true source of sexual ecstasy. When the male and female bodies are in sexual union a powerful magnetic field is created and bio-energy is circulated between the couple. This Kundalini energy is transferred through the meeting of the positive and negative poles on both the male and female bodies.

In women the breasts are the positive pole and this is complemented by the male heart chakra which is the negative pole. Her loving, feminine energy is transmitted through her breasts to the male through his heart chakra. It moves down the spiral to his penis: his positive pole. The penis then transfers the masculine energy to the woman by connecting with the negative pole of the vagina, pushing the energy up into her heart chakra, thus completing the bio-electric circuit, creating a powerful union and true sexual fulfilment.

Western society places much emphasis on the union between the lower poles but provides very little information about the roles the upper poles play in loving relationships. Therefore, discussions about sex and our own direct experience of sexual contact tend to focus attention on the achievement of orgasm through the stimulation of the lower poles, which the author explains can lead to frustration and lack of fulfilment.

In contrast the Tantric approach to lovemaking gives more focus to the stimulation of the breasts throughout the encounter, since they have the same energetic potential as the penis. This generates an equality between the upper and lower poles that isn’t usually considered.

With a focus on the feelings involved in the now moment, Tantra also removes the goal of orgasm and therefore the perceived necessity for excessive stimulation of the lower poles. This shifts our focus the to the feelings resulting from energy transfer, which occur on a more subtle, yet deeper level of experience. In turn expectation is reduced and any stress about sexual performance disappears, creating a more relaxed encounter which has the potential for deeper feeling.

The Tantric journey of love begins with eye contact to establish trust, gentle touch on the non-sexual parts of the body to focus attention on feeling in the now moment, before progression to establishing contact between the poles. Once trust and attainment with feeling has been established, polarity contact starts with a full-frontal hug whereby the heart chakras meet and the breasts transfer the female energy. This would evolve into contact between the penis and the vagina creating a continuous loop of energetic exchange through the positive and negative poles. In this way neither the man nor the woman would become depleted of energy, as they are both continually filling each other up through an endless circuit of energetic exchange.

The equal and complementary nature of the poles and the sharing of energy means that an energetic transfer can occur without doing anything. Basic contact between the poles is enough to create an energy transfer that develops feelings of love and arousal without the need for excessive friction or stimulation. This makes a full-frontal hug between a man and a woman a very powerful experience. As a powerful form of energetic transfer this form of hug is actually a very intimate experience and, in my opinion, should be reserved for relationships where intimacy is to be promoted between consenting partners.

There are some men within the spiritual and plant medicine circles that I have observed who are more relaxed and bodily aware than the majority. They sometimes perform breast-squeezing hugs with women who are not their sexual partners and who may be acquaintances or friends. It could be said that a single man exhibits this behaviour to fulfil a subconscious need for connection with female energy. However, I have also witnessed men who already have a romantic partner engaging in this type of hug with other women. In both cases, they are opening an energetic circuit and therefore receiving energy from the woman. I have also observed either a subconscious or conscious enjoyment by the man of witnessing the pleasure that it gives the woman when she experiences this energetic exchange; which may give them the impression that they are giving rather than receiving.

However, as someone who has experienced both forms, I can attest that it may be unsettling for the woman in either case. This is because her energy has been taken and has not been replenished by reciprocation from the male via his positive pole. The energetic circuit has been opened but not completed, leaving a vacuum.

A parallel could be drawn between sexual union, which some women considering to be a bonding experience with the man they love. These woman can be left feeling hurt and used by promiscuous men who are having the experience for their own pleasure. In this case the man is not making love to her in the true sense because he is not giving his love and energy to her, so the energy circuit is not completed. A woman experiencing this may fee empty and unfulfilled as a result. Such a woman may consider the full frontal hug as signal from the man that he is interested in taking their relationship from friendship into romantic partnership; so when this fails to materialise she may feel let down, and similarly empty. Of course, it is not to say that other women cannot enjoy these experiences.

In Tantra, connection of the positive and negative poles forms a deeper energetic transfer that is meant to be part of sexual union. So if we consider the close hug from a Tantric perspective, the woman who has received such a hug from a man who is not her partner may be left with feelings of having been used because she can feel her energy has been taken. When experienced with loving intention, contact between the poles it is a way of building intimacy between a couple that are starting a romantic relationship. It achieves greater depth and power when the man has developed his energy so that he enters the divine masculine. The contact with the woman has greater resonance if she is in her divine feminine. This union of divine energy is the pinnacle of relational experience.

However, there is a dark aspect to this energy transfer. When the close hug is performed by men who are not interested in building intimacy as part of a relationship it can become problematic for the woman if she is left feeling that something has been taken from her. Should the man be meeting his own energetic needs to the detriment of the woman, then we are experiencing the dark aspect of the hug as a form of violation and/or a crossing of boundaries in the same way that casual sex by one party is misunderstood as intimacy and bonding by the other; her enjoyment of the hug may cause her to seek further intimacy and if the man doesn’t reciprocate she may feel that she has been led down the garden path.

In my experience, when a man for whom I have no romantic interest suddenly surprises me with a close hug the shock of the my nipples coming into contact with the man’s chest is at odds with the pleasurable feeling that is created. Then the hug ends and I am left flooded with sexual arousal and I have then been left feeling confused about the nature of the relationship and feeling that a boundary has been crossed.

The flip side of this would be a woman giving a man who is not her sexual partner a close hug and then rubbing her pelvis against his penis. This would also be considered contact with the positive and negative poles between the masculine and the feminine. The question is would that be deemed to be appropriate behaviour? Does the answer to that question cast doubt over the appropriate nature of the close hug between a man and a woman who are not in a relationship?

The Yin-Yang symbol is a Taoist symbol comprising a circle divided into two halves, one white and one black, each containing a small circle of the opposite colour. The black and white halves represent the primordial masculine and feminine energies whose interaction creates universal manifestation. They are mutually-arising, interdependent, and coninuously transfoming just as day turns into night and birth moves towards death. One cannot exist without the other because each contains the essence of the other.

Living with Humility & Frugality

I am sharing this story is based on a post that was shared in one of the Shamanic groups on FaceBook. I thought the message of living morally with humility and frugality was very powerful as an antidote to our consumerist conditioning. The ceremonial chief of the Teton Sioux, Frank Fools Crow, repeatedly said the more humble and unselfish a person is the more willing Wakan Tanka and his helpers of the four directions are willing to work through them.

Assuming no ownership of his supernatural abilities he always affirmed the “source of power is not ourselves”. I concur with this statement, believing myself to be a channel that brings down the healing light from Father Sky into the client before sending any darkness into Mother Earth. Fools Crow explained in detail how he performed “miracles” because he wanted others to believe they could do them as well. As Yeshua said, we wil do greater things than he.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

John 14:12
I also know that some of us have the capacity to heal others, and achieve other physcic abilbities, but we have to work on ourselves to create a clear channel, or hollow bone.

Few holy people have been as open about their spiritual practices as Frank Fools Crow, who allowed his powers to be written about in books by non-Native authors. Before he died at the age of 99 on Nov. 27, 1989, Fools Crow spent time in the late 1970s with Thomas E Mails, a Lutheran minister who wrote about him in several books, including the well-received Fools Crow Wisdom and Power. In it, the old man explained how he affected cures, consulted with “talking” stones to learn of future events, “lured” to him what he needed in his life, spirit-travelled, and shape-shifted.

He accomplished all of this by becoming a “clean, hollow bone” through which Wakan Tanka’s (The Great Mystery’s) powers funnelled through him.

Fools Crow repeatedly told Mails that the more humble and unselfish a person is, the more willing Wakan Tanka and his helpers of the four directions are willing to work through them. “Wakan Tanka is concerned with human needs, and not luxuries. If we want luxuries, He has given us at birth the power to work for and obtain these,” he said. People who have rid themselves of self-serving ego, like medicine and holy people, are the cleanest bones, he explained. The cleaner the bone, the more water you can pour through it, and the faster it will run.”

Fools Crow, the nephew of the visionary Black Elk, immortalized in John Neihardt’s Black Elk Speaks, explained he was able to handle the self-sacrifice of being a holy person because he possessed “a clear self image.” As a Sioux person, he was taught to understand there was no limit to what the higher powers could do through him.

“What we hollow bones really become is the pipeline that connects Wakan Tanka and our community together. Wakan Tanka tells us the direction our curing and healing work must follow and establishes the kind of life we must lead. It also keeps us working at things that do not bring us much income … We have to be strong and committed to stick with this, otherwise we will get very little spiritual power and we will probably give up the curing and healing work.”

Fools Crow described his life as being “filled with power” and he thought about Wakan Tanka constantly. To remain a clean, hollow bone, he refrained from arguing, gossiping and womanizing. He didn’t charge for his healing, although he accepted gifts and gratitude from people he helped. He abstained from mind-altering substances, even the peyote used in the Native American church, because Wakan Tanka could take him higher than any drug ever could.

In his lifetime, he struggled to find someone to pass his medicine to because so few wanted to live morally and frugally. “While many talk a lot about wanting to do this, they do not really want to give up pleasure and material things. Also, you can tell a true medicine person from an imitator by what they ask you for in return for their help. According to where they live, everyone needs enough to live on and pay their bills. But if they ask for more than a fair payment for this, walk away from them. They are only imitators and their power will be very limited.” As a child born near Wounded Knee in South Dakota around 1890, Fools Crow was forced to quit school in the third grade so he could work and support his family. He travelled around the United States later with the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show before becoming a healer after his initial vision quest in 1903.

He married Fannie Afraid, who passed away in 1954, and his second wife, Kate, died in 1988. Both wives assisted Fools Crow in his curing rites and watched over him while he spirit-travelled inside his sweatlodge. “Actually, this spirit travel I do has frightened both of my wives,” he once confessed to Mails, explaining he would sometimes remain unconscious inside the lodge for as long as two days. Fannie and Kate have had to stay with me and watch over me during this time, and they have told me that sometimes they are afraid I have died.”

Fools Crow used his “mind screen” – the blackness he saw when he closed his eyes and rolled his eyes upward – to receive information from Wakan Tanka. If he saw that a patient’s organs were damaged beyond repair, he revealed to he or she that they could not be cured, but could still be healed. “Healing is a process that helps the person get rid of anger and blaming” and reconcile unfinished business in their lives, Fools Crow said.  “When we are finished with the healing, the person is calm and ready, even anxious to die. ‘Die’ is not really the best word, because it suggests that it is the end, when it is really the beginning.  I take them outside to pray with me, and I tell them some of the great secrets I have been shown. At night, I make them a bed under the stars, and I sit beside them for a while. As we continue to talk, I tell them to think about Wakan Tanka being up there and waiting to receive them. If they are Christians, I talk about Jesus’ saying he went to make a place for them.”

Fools Crow asked people who came for curing to spend four days with him. If the weather was good, he fixed a bed for them outdoors under the trees on his property. He loved bringing people to his Pine Ridge reservation home because there was “nothing tall enough to get between us and the higher powers. So we are more conscious of them than people who live in cities are.”

Fools Crow lived long enough to mediate between the U.S. government and AIM activists at Wounded Knee in 1973. At the Elder’s funeral, eulogist and AIM leader Russell Means credited Fools Crow with the peaceful ending of the famous confrontation. Fools Crow was well-loved for keeping alive Lakota ceremonies that had been outlawed by the government, and is famous for pleading before a congressional subcommittee that the Black Hills be returned to his people.

Detoxing Heavy Metals

STTM recommends detoxing from heavy metals to improve thyroid health but it can also improve symptoms of ADHD, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and support general cognitive function in both adults and children.

Aluminium

Change Your Lifestyle and avoid aluminium coming into contact with your food and drink on a daily basis.

Stop: drinking beverages from aluminium cans: cooking food on foil or foil containers (decant into glass or enamel dishes): using aluminium pans (use cast iron, pyrex, or ceramic cookware): using reusable drink bottles made from aluminium (choose stainless steel); using anti perspirants (use only organic personal care products).

Check the labels on your ingredients and avoid baking powder high in aluminium. Other common food additives to avoid are: aluminum ammonium sulfate, aluminum calcium silicate, aluminum nicotinate, aluminum potassium sulfate, aluminum sodium sulfate, aluminum stearate, sodium aluminum phosphate and aluminum sulfate.

Filter your tap water with a charcoal filter in a stainless steel housing.

Avoid all vaccinations because they contain either mercury or aluminium.

Even if you are very scrupulous at avoiding aluminium in your diet you can’t avoid it all together so it is essential to bring some chelators into your daily routine. Sadly Aluminium and Barium are used in the world-wide Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, Stratospheric Particle Injection, Geoengineering, and Cloud Seeding programmes for Solar Radiation Management. In a speech at The Council Of Foreign Relations on 29th June 2016, CIA Director John O Brennan talks openly about Geoengineering: https://bit.ly/2Egllk

Easy Chelators

Volvic Water
Drinking as much Volvic mineral water per day as you can will help the chelation of aluminium because it is high in silica. You can fill up a stainless steel bottle to carry with you or keep a large bottled on your desk. Yes, it is in a plastic bottle, which we all know we should be avoiding for good hormonal balance, but the benefits still outweigh this negative.
There is a more expensive water being marketed in a glass bottle called ACILIS by Spritzer, but that contains high levels of Calcium, which as Morley says, causes calcification in the body and should therefore be avoided.

Epsom Salt Baths
A daily Epsom Salt bath will really help to push out toxins from the body. I use two scoops of food grade Epsom salt, one scoop of Bicarbonate of Soda, 1 tsp of Ascorbic Acid powder (powdered Vitamin C), and a couple of drops of organic Lavender Oil.

Super Greens
I took a super greens supplement containing Chlorella for ten years before testing my heavy metals and all of my results were very low, except mercury, which I think was a result of eating tuna twice a month.
Take a super greens supplement containing Chlorella to chelate mercury particularly if you have amalgam fillings or if you have had vaccines. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/28/chlorella-for-mercury-poisoning.aspx
Diatomaceous Earth Buy Health Leads Diatomaceous Earth capsules. Gradually increase up to six capsules per day, ten days on, ten days off.

Other Methods

· Lemon Juice Cleanse: two tablespoons of organic, preferably freshly squeezed, lemon juice in a glass of filtered tap water daily for three weeks. Then two teaspoons on alternate days.

· Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse: two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar with the mother (Biona do a good one) in a glass of filtered tap water daily for three weeks. Then two teaspoons on alternate days for up to 6 months.

· Consult a homeopath or naturopath for chelation therapy to remove heavy metals from the body. Some homeopaths are also trained in CEASE therapy which is very good.

Mercury

Lifestyle Changes
Get all of your amalgam fillings safely removed by a specialist dentist who uses a rubber dam to prevent the mercury from entering your body.
Avoid all vaccinations.
After amalgam fillings and vaccines the main source of Mercury toxicity is in seafood. Ensure that you choose the low mercury fish and avoid the high mercury ones.

Low Mercury Fish: Anchovies Catfish Clams Crabs Canned light tuna (skipjack) Carp Crab Crayfish Flounder (overfished) Atlantic Haddock Croaker Freshwater perch Hake Herring Oysters Mullet Canned Salmon Fresh Salmon (Choose wild salmon because farmed salmon may be contaminated with PCBs and other chemicals.) Monkfish Pollock Sardines Scallops Shrimp (Check the fishing method because unsustainable fishing methods, often used to catch shrimp, can cause major environmental damage.) Sole Squid Tilapia Trout Whitefish Whiting Skate Snapper Spiny Lobster.

Moderate Mercury (6 servings or less per month): Bass Carp Atlantic or Pacific Halibut Lobster Mahi Mahi Monkfish Perch Canned Light Tuna Skipjack Tuna.

High Mercury (3 servings or less per month): Grouper (overfished) Spanish or Gulf Mackerel Sea Bass (overfished) Albacore Canned Tuna Yellowfin Tuna (overfished).

Highest Mercury (Avoid. Mostly all of the highest mercury fish are also overfished): King Mackerel Marlin Orange Roughy Shark Swordfish Tilefish Bigeye or Ahi Tuna.

High In Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Low in Mercury: Anchovies Wild Salmon Whitefish Sardines Herring Freshwater Trout

Iodine as a Mercury Chelator

Selenium is absolutely essential in the age of mercury toxicity for it is the perfect antidote for mercury exposure. It is literally raining mercury all over the world but especially in the northern hemisphere. And of course with the dentists poisoning a world of patients with mercury dental amalgam and the doctors with their mercury laden vaccines, selenium is more important than most of us can imagine. One must remember that mercury strips the body of selenium for the selenium stores get used up quickly because of its great affinity for mercury.’ Dr Mark Sircus OMD

Mark Sircus OMD: ‘Most physicians and surgeons view iodine from a narrow perspective and this is one of the greatest tragedies of allopathic medicine. Most health officials are chemical terrorists in disguise as they ignore the toxic buildup going on in the general population and they have no intention of informing them what they can do about it. Mercury is a perfect case in point. Mercury is toxic from whatever source it arrives into our bodies but doctors and dentists still insist on using it, which puts us solidly in the modern age of medical and dental barbarism. We like to think we are an advanced race of intelligent beings but lo and behold we find what are supposed to be the best and most intelligent of us poisoning young and old alike with mercury. It is beyond criminality what they are doing and what they are denying.’ http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

Andrew Cutler Protocol

However, there is some disagreement in the STTM community. While they support the Iodine protocol the also recommend the Andrew Hall Cutler PhD protocol, and he said that Iodine is not a good method denouncing Iodine as a chelator. His protocol is the low dose oral frequent chelation method which includes other chelators including ALA, DMSA and DMPS. It is essential to buy his book and follow the full protocol because it can be very hard on your body. The Face Book group also recommend having your amalgam fillings removed before starting the protocol.

The Twelve Universal Laws

1. Divine oneness.

2. Vibration.

3. Action.

4. Correspondence.

5. Cause and effect.

6. Compensation.

7. Attraction.

8. Perpetual transmutation of energy.

9. Law of relativeity.

10. Polarity.

11. Rhythem.

12. Gender.

 

Natural Law: Introduction

The Science of Natural Law by Mark Passio

https://www.whatonearthishappening.com/videos

In this documentary Mark Passio explores our current understanding of the Universal forces that affect the daily lives of humanity.

Is humanity truly free?
Are there Universal Laws that apply to human behaviour?
Does our knowledge or ignorance of these laws affect our freedom?

It is only by fundamentally understanding Natural Law that we will be able to effectively follow Common Law.

This is the hierarchy under which the people and our systems should be operating:
– Natural Law: the Universal Divine Law of God/Creator.
– Rule of Law: Natural Law interpreted by humanity through Common Law.
– The People: humanity as a collective.
– Government: an administrative infrastructure.
– Politicians & Public Servants: officers that have taken Oaths to serve the people.

The Occult

The word ‘occult’ means hidden and refers to knowledge that is not commonly known to humanity. Occultism is a body of knowledge regarding the hidden laws of nature that can’t be readily seen or scientifically measured.

The Dark Occultists come from banking, media, law, military, law enforcement, entertainment, education, politics, medicine, and technology. They use the ancient, hidden knowledge of Natural Law to increase their own collective power at the expense of everyone else’s rights and freedoms.

What is Natural Law?

It is nothing to do with evolution, the survival or the fittest, or the law of the jungle, or the dog-eat-dog world.

Natural = Inherent to, and having a basis in, reality and nature, therefore not man-made.

Law = An existing condition that is both binding and immutable.

Binding means having an effect that cannot be escaped.

Immutable means unable to be changed by anything or anyone.

Natural Law Definition

A set of Universal, non-man-made binding and unchangeable conditions, which govern the behavioural consequence of beings with the capacity of holistic intelligence.

Natural Law governs the collective by manifesting the consequences of the free-will behavioural choices made by humanity.

The consequences received are dependent on whether the behaviour is moral or immoral (right or wrong). This is also known as karma.

Natural Laws operate in the unseen, non-physical realm so they are the hidden laws of nature which are built into the fabric of reality.

Natural Law is a science of morality which doesn’t require belief or faith. It is also known as Cosmic Law, Spiritual Law, Universal Law, Moral Law, Karma, The Golden Rule, The Law of Cause and Effect, and Consequentialism.
Human Rights

It is essential for humanity to understand what right and wrong behaviour is.

We need to define what human rights are in order to keep them.

Actions that are not rights and initiate harm to others:

  • Murder = the theft of life which is not rightfully ours to take.
  • Rape = theft of freewill sexual association.
  • Assault = theft of another person’s wellbeing without right.
  • Theft = theft of property.
  • Trespass = theft of the security of ones living domain
  • Coercion = the theft of freewill choice via violence or duress.
  • Wilfully lying = theft of necessary information which negatively impacts someone else’s ability to engage in informed decision making.

They are all variations of theft in different forms and constitute violence against other sentient beings.

Transgressions of the inherent rights of others though theft is the conduct of violence.

Moral conduct can therefore be defined as ‘don’t steal’.

It is morally wrong to initiate aggression and violence against other sentient beings.

Self Defence

We reserve the right to use physical force to defend ourselves against violence and aggression – it is an inherent right.

Equality Under Natural Law

Immoral actions are the behaviours that inflict harm to others. When we fail to hold everyone to the same account regarding the morality of their actions we create a problem for humanity.

We all have the same rights without exception including government, the police, military, or other societal institution.

Legality is not Morality

Is government authority morally legitimate?

If man’s laws are in opposition to Natural Law and therefore false or immoral it cannot be legitimately morally binding. Legal or illegal is not the same as moral or immoral. Human authority is not legitimate because it is not voluntary and is based on immoral behaviour such as coercion and violence.

Man’s Law

Does Government authority exist in nature?

It is an illegitimate man-made construct that doesn’t exist in nature. The false belief that someone has legitimate authority over others or more or less inherent rights than others is the main cause of suffering and death in the world.

Authority is an untrue, illusory, illegitimate and immoral claim that is believed by most people.

The delegation of authority to politicians, police, and military is inherently morally illegitimate. And cannot be done in nature because it is impossible to delegate a right to someone else that no one possess as an individual.

Slavery

the human condition is slavery. Is taxation morally legitimate?

Taxation is theft enforced by the threat of coercion or violence.

Bodies

People own their bodies and have right to choose what they put into it.

Drivers Licences

Drivers Licences are coercive restriction on the inherent right to travel.

Laws

Man-made laws that are moral opposition to natural law are morally illegitimate and not morally binding. Legitimate human interactions are voluntary and mutually agreed upon by all participants.

Man-made laws which decree and enact behaviours such as prohibition, taxation, and licensure are not voluntary. They are commands of compliance backed by the threat of violece or actual violent behaviour.

Man-made laws are arbitrary decrees of a ruling class calling themselves government who give themselves the right to rule. Those living under their jurisdiction are believed to be morally obligated to obey the arbitrary laws. Understanding that such a system is entirely based in behaviour that is coercive and immoral.

Natural Law: The Seven Hermetic Principles

The general principles of Natural Law are based on the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus otherwise known as Egyptian God Thoth. He was the messenger of the Gods who brought their teachings down to Earth.

There are seven basic underlying principles plus the binding principle which binds the other seven together. All eight together are the Master Key through which universal wisdom is de-occulted and no longer hidden.

They are Hermetically sealed because they are immutable and cannot be changed.

1. The Principle of Mentalism

All is a manifestation of mind. The Universe is mental: our thoughts manifest things and events in our reality.

Thoughts create our state of existence and the quality of our experience here on Earth.

Thoughts drive our behaviour so be responsible for your thoughts and, therefore, everything you create for yourself.

The ALL is substantial reality underlying outward appearances.

This law explains psychic phenomena.

The Master Key unlocks doors in the psychic temple of knowledge and the path to mastery.

Energy, power, and matter are subordinate to mind.

2. The Principle of Correspondence

‘As above so, below: as below, so above.’

Correspondence between the planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe.

The Universal Law of the holographic universe whereby the microcosm comprises the whole.

A way to move the obstacles to the unknown.

Known to unknown.

3. The Principle of Vibration

Nothing rests: the universe is pure vibrational energy.

Everything vibrates in vibratory motion.

Matter is energy in vibration.

We should be in control of our own mental vibrations and those of others with the formula.

Power.

4. The Principle of Polarity

Everything is dual with two poles.

Opposites are identical in nature but different in degree.

Extremes meet in the middle.

Heat and cold are varying degrees of the same thing; a change in vibration.

Paradoxs of light and dark, soft and hard.

On the mental plane: degrees of love and hate.

Change the vibrations of hate to the vibrations of love in your mind.
Good an evil require us the to take the middle path.

Mental Alchemy is transmuting love to hate using the principle of polarity.

5. The Principle of Rhythm

Everything flows.

Tides rise and fall.

The pendulum swings in motion to and fro, equally on both sides.

Action and reaction.

The rise and fall of nations.

Hermeticists can overcome its effects by formulas and methods.

The Mental Law of Neutralisation enables us to escape its effects by neutralising the rhythmic swing through strong will.

6. The Principle of Cause & Effect

Every cause has an effect and every effect has its cause.

There are many planes of causation and no such thing as chance.

Manifested realities form due to their causes. That which has already occurred.

Humanity is trapped on the plane of effects with self-inflicted suffering.

Rise above cause and effect by mentally rising to a higher plane to become causers and effects.

The masses are obedient to the environment and the wills and desires of others’ suggestion.

Pawns on a chessboard.

Rule on ones own plane and be masters.

7. The Principle of Gender

Gender is manifested in everything throughout the Physical, Mental, and Spiritual planes.

In the physical it is expressed as sex.

On the mental plane it is the masculine and feminine aspects of the mind.

Right side of the brain: Feminine, Intuition, Compassion, Creativity.

Left side of the brain: Male, Intellect, Logic, Analytical.

The human brain has been hacked with mind control by the system to prefer one side of the brain.

When both are in balance the true intelligence is born.

Work on yourself to find equilibrium between the right and left hemispheres to how yourself and natural law.

No creation is possible without it because everything contains two elements.

8. The Lost Principle

Binds the others together.

These principles can also be found in the Kybalion and are summarised in Mark Passio’s talk on Natural law: to to around the 3 hour mark on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChgCh2Gui5M

The Kybalion – The Hermetic Philosophy

Published at the beginning of the 20th Century, The Kybalion contains the secret doctrines of Hermetic Philosophy from Ancient Egypt and Greece.

It is mystical and occult law taught by the Adepts and Masters of Ancient Egypt and in the Great Lodge of Lodges of the Mystics.

The arcane truths of the Seven Hermetic Principles are referenced in occultism, which means hidden knowledge. They are a master key to the Temple of Knowledge and the Temple of Mystery.

The Master of Masters was Hermes, the founder of astrology and alchemy. Hermes Trismegistus was known as ‘the scribe of the Gods’ in Ancient Egypt and also the Great Central Sun of Occultism.

He was a contemporary of Abraham and gave him some of his mystic knowledge.

He lived for 300 years on Earth as The Egyptian God Thoth and in Ancient Greece as Hermes, the God of Wisdom.

All esoteric teachings and religions have a base in the Hermetic Principles.

Hermetic means secret, sealed so as to not ‘cast pearls before swine’.

History has shown us that barbarians will kill those who tell them the truth, so many people with this knowledge have remained quiet until the publication of the Kybalion.

The Gnostics, the early Christians, held the Hermetic teachings until their books were burned and their teachers thrown to the lions by the Roman Constantine.

The Kybalion is the basic Hermetic Doctrines, the art of Hermetic Alchemy.

It is the mastery of mental forces and transmutation of Mental Vibrations; the true Philosophers Stone.

The Kybalion contains fundamental teachings so that we can apply them as true students.

The teachings of Hermetic Philosophy were republished at the beginning of the 20th century in a book called The Kybalion.

It was published in the understanding that humanity was ready to master the mental forces can apply the knowledge to their daily lives.

This book will attract the attention of those ready for instruction, according to Principle 6 : The Law of Cause and Effect.

It can be bought from bookshops or read online here: http://www.kybalion.org/TheKybalion.pdf

The Principle of Rhythm

Hermes Trismegistus or Thoth the Atlantean, Enki’s son, was the Lord of Wisdom an emissary on Earth. He was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt alternately said to be self-created or born of the seed of Horus from the forehead of Set. As the son of these two deities (representing order and chaos respectively) he was also god of equilibrium.  He wrote the Emerald tablets of Thoth which brought the Seven Hermetic Principles to humanity.

5. The Principle of Rhythm

Tides and flows. There is ebb and flow in everything on the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. The pendulum swing moves equally on both sides between two poles.

Rhythm works on both the mental and physical planes. The mental pendulum creates moods and emotions.

Neutralise the rhythmic swing of the pendulum by going to higher planes of consciousness to achieve mental firmness, will, and poise. This solid base can be achieved through daily meditation, breathwork, and grounding with the earth.

These practices will take us out of the reactive emotional swings and into a state of mindfulness where we are able to respond to events in a strong, yet peaceful manner.

Polarise at the Positive Pole of ‘I am’. Refuse to be swung on the pendulum of mood. Set aside mental states as being ‘not me’.

By mastering moods and neutralising rhythm you can escape cause and effect.

This is the Law of Neutralisation overcomes rhythm. Rise above and allow it to pass underneath. Become players not pawns: use the swing, don’t be used by it.

Mark Passio – Natural Law

Mark Passio explains that we are able to overcome the strong tides by using the current to assist us. At the present moment in time we are experiencing the tendency of an ebb towards darkness. To resist this tendency we are required to have stronger will and to expend more energy to break down pre-existing belief systems and move the consciousness forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChgCh2Gui5M Watch from the 3:15 mark for Mark Passio’s interpretation of Principle Five.

The Kybalion

The teachings of Hermetic Philosophy were republished at the beginning of the 20th century in a book called The Kybalion. It was published in the understanding that humanity was ready to master the mental forces can apply the knowledge to their daily lives. It can be bought from bookshops or read online here: http://www.kybalion.org/TheKybalion.pdf

Alchemising the Ego through the Seven Sins

At its basic level of meaning the word alchemy relates to physical matter and is commonly understood to be the scientific process of converting base metals into gold. This notion is based on the human egos of greed and sloth whereby one seeks to generate vast fortunes with minimal effort.  History tells us that many men have spent entire lifetimes selfishly seeking the philosophers stone for personal gain. This behaviour translates into contemporary society as competition for the easiest and most well-paid jobs, which creates our own personal hell based on lack and fear.

This third dimensional notion of alchemy is in contrast to the higher, spiritual meaning which aids personal growth work and soul development. By learning to transmute fear into love and transform ego into soul, we can achieve self-mastery and experience heaven on Earth in the fifth dimension.

The Archontic matrix control system, as identified by the pre-Christian Gnostics who sought knowledge through research, holds at its core the manipulation of the human ego as the ultimate means of control.  In contemporary society, ego manifests in behaviours symbolised by the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.  Humanity is programmed by society to act in ego which perpetuates our enslavement in hell, preventing us from ascending to a higher form of experience.

  • Advertising plays on lust to subjugate the feminine whereby a woman is simply a vessel for male pleasure, which diminishes the power of the divine feminine.
  • The food industry plays on emotional insecurity to promote gluttony, whereby inner lack is filled with junk food to provide a short-term dopamine hit.
  • The focus on the scarcity of resources causing us to stockpile resource and wealth at the expense of others.
  • The education system takes away our enquiring mind by spoon feeding us facts without any effort on our part to find the truth for ourselves, creating an attitude of sloth whereby someone else will solve our problems.
  • Newspapers and news programmes pitch groups against each other to create an environment of wrath or anger, which prevents unity and ultimately freedom from the system.
  • The media plays on our propensity to envy by encouraging us to ‘keep up the the Joneses’. If our friends boast about their expensive new purchases this motivates us to competitively consume more.
  • Pride prevents us from working in service to others and closes off the benevolence the universe can offer those who live in true humility.

Gnosticism teaches us that ascension can only occur once the ego is eliminated. However, there is another belief that we cannot be expected to totally eliminate the ego as we need it on a basic level for self protection; therefore it should be observed and controlled. We can use self-observation to monitor ourselves for egoic behaviour with the aim of holding it in awareness as opposed to automatically acting on it through programmed behaviour, which would leave us open to manipulation. Once we have awareness of how the ego is playing out in our lives we can work towards the elimination of each of the seven sins through transmutation.  We can identify egoic behaviour and replace it with the seven virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, courage (or fortitude) faith, hope, and charity.

Lust = Chastity (purity, abstinence) Gluttony = Temperance (humanity) Greed = Charity (sacrifice, generosity, benevolence) Sloth = Diligence (persistence) Wrath = Patience (forgiveness) Envy = Kindness (compassion) Pride = Humility (bravery, modesty)

It is possible for a human holding love in their hearts to exist in a different dimension from a neighbour living in fear.  Both live on the same street, but one experiences abundance in all ares of their life and the other experiences seemingly constant misfortune.  The woman in heart-centred service to others is given rewards from the universe that fulfil all her needs; nourishing friendships, an income from work that she enjoys, and a happy home.

In contrast, the man next door who consumes the media and lives in fear, lives selfishly and receives instant karma. This gives him the challenging experiences that may appear on the surface to be misfortune, but are purposefully sent by the universe to assist with his soul development.  He may experience redundancy from the job he hates, loss of the partner he doesn’t love, disease due to his addictions to sugar and alcohol, or loss of his home due to lack of gratitude. Through these trials he will learn about love, service to others, forgiveness, and humility but it might take thousands of lifetimes to reach completion.

For anyone living on Earth in bodily form to say that they are not living in ego, to a greater or lesser extent, is in a state of self-deception and denial. Once we have overcome ego we automatically leave our Earthly physical body and rise up in our light body to ascension. Therefore, it is impossible for someone who isn’t living in ego to exist on this Earth.  We are all living in ego and we are ultimately here with the purpose of transending it.

The Twelve Chakra System

Our chakras are energy centres of spiritual consciousness within our energy bodies. They are ‘wheels’ which should spin if they are open and activated to enable the kundalini energy to rise up the spinal column.

Chakra healing is a method of energy healing that has traditionally worked with the seven main chakras – root (base), sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye (brow) and crown.

It is essential that these seven major chakras are healed first, thus allowing the kundalini to rise and enable the additional chakras to be activated.

As the energy increases on earth, building towards ascension, we are becoming more spiritually aware so now we can start working with the five additional chakras – earth star, navel, causal, soul star and stellar gateway.

Here are the twelve chakras in the new system:

  1. Earth Star ChakraLocation: 12 inches below the feet. Colour: Black, Gold. Crystals: Nuummite, White Howlite
  2. Root ChakraLocation: Base of spine. Colour: Red. Crystal: Bloodstone, Agate, Haematite
  3. Sacral ChakraLocation: Lower abdomen. Colour: Orange, Pink. Crystals: Citrine, Carnelian
  4. Navel ChakraLocation: Just above the sacral chakra. Colour – Orange. Crystals: Fire Agate, Citrine, Sunstone
  5. Solar Plexus ChakraLocation: Solar plexus. Colour: Yellow. Crystals: Yellow Citrine, Calcite, Malachite
  6. Heart ChakraLocation: Heart. Colour: Green. Crystals: Rose Quartz, Watermelon Tourmaline, Aventurine
  7. Throat ChakraLocation: Throat. Colour: Blue. Crystals: Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Sodalite
  8. Third Eye ChakraLocation: Brow. Colour: Indigo. Crystals: Fluorite, Azurite, Amethyst
  9. Crown ChakraLocation: Top of the head. Colour: Violet, Gold, White. Crystals: Herkimer Diamond, Clear Quartz, Amethyst
  10. Causal ChakraLocation: 3-4 inches above the Crown at the back of the head. Colour: White, Irredescent. Crystals: Blue Kyanite
  11. Soul Star ChakraLocation: 6 inches above the Crown. Colour: White, Magenta. Crystal: Selenite, Ascension Stones
  12. Stellar Gateway ChakraLocation: 12 inches above the Crown. Colour: Gold. Crystal: Calcite

The Benefits of Earthing

When we lived in tribes, without shoes and beds, we were in constant contact with the earth’s resonance. In these modern times we need 20 mins standing barefoot on the Earth every day and/or sleeping with a grounding sheet.

As well as the physiological benefits demonstrated in The Earthing Movie being fully grounded also facilitates our ability to manifest more easily. When we connect up and receive guidance and wisdom being grounded makes us a more effective channel so that we can bring it down and utilise it on earth in our daily lives. Otherwise, if we are not connected, our quality of inner knowing is compromised and we are not able to fully manifest.

Earthing has an immediate physiological effect on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), switching the body to a more parasympathetic state.  Some people feel an immediate benefit when grounded and even physical symptoms such as inflammation and pain can show improvement within minutes.  However, it is important to recognise that longer term exposure to Earthing is required in order to achieve the deepest improvements in sleep, inflammation and overall health.

The Earthing Movie is a fantastic documentary on Earthing.

https://youtu.be/44ddtR0XDVU

Keep Calm and Carry On into 5D

The energies coming down over the coming months will continue to stir things up to boiling point for everyone on planet Earth. This means that in 3D reality we are going to expect the media and the government to further provoke us into angry reactions to their increasingly draconian demands. From the perspective of the dark side this serves the purpose of lowering the collective vibrational frequency to prevent mass wake-ups and ascension to 5D.

The best thing to do is disengage from all of the media; radio, TV, and newspapers, to avoid their increasingly desperate attempts at provocation. Remember that the dark side are playing a role which will ultimately wake up the sleepers, so we have to allow it to play-out.

On a day-to-day level the energies will play-out as aggression and negativity from people we come up against at work, socially, or when out shopping. The energies are causing people to release their own negativity which can come out as attacks and outbursts. This energy will be stronger in towns, shopping areas and places of high density living so it is essential to smudge regularly and shower or bathe in Epsom Salts every night to clear your energy field.

Remember that it isn’t our job to wake people up, only to plant seeds, so don’t feel that you have to engage in endless debates on social media which ultimately deplete us of life-force energy. Refill with daily Qigong (Chi Kung).

Many light workers will also find their personal and work lives thrown into turmoil, adding additional stress to the collective load. This turmoil is necessary to change our lives for the better, but the process will be tough as we release people and responsibilities that no longer serve us.

The aim of archontic control system is to bring as many light workers down as possible. This is why we must remain heart-centred at all times and respond to situations and people calmly. We should not give-in to any provocation. Daily meditation, focussing on the breath, and 20mins daily contact with the Earth will help us to remain centred and grounded in these challenging times.

5D living will require us to live from heart-centredness and not ego. This means observing the turmoil around us and remaining in love and peace. Any reaction such as anger is a sign that the ego is in control. We cannot ascend in this state so self-observation is essential.

The Mysteries of Isis

Introduction to Tantra

In patriarchal societies seeking to repress feminine energy the expression of sexuality and sensuality by women has been punished by intimidation, oppression, and persecution creating a fear of physical touch. Tantra teaches us that the the sexiest potential we have isn’t based on physicality, either through looks or sexual techniques, but by fostering connection and intimacy through touch.

By tapping into our natural abilities to experience ecstasy we can discover a powerful sexuality that is beyond either what the body looks like or sexual performance. We can explore sensuality using touch as enjoyment within itself, in terms of giving and receiving. It is the opposite of physical sex which is performed for the goal of orgasm.

Tantra is about being in the moment of the enjoyment of sensual pleasure, accessing the capability of phenomenal connection that brings true contentment and happiness. We have the capacity to go beyond physical sex to an experience that involves the mind, emotions, feelings, passion, and presence.

Learning how to experience our true potential through real intimacy creates deeper connections and more satisfying relationships.

The Mysteries of Isis

The ancient Egyptians didn’t believe that sex was a sin. In Egyptian times the phallus of the Pharaoh created union between heaven and earth though love making with his Queen. Patriarchy has twisted this meaning so that in Victorian times the word ithyphallic meant ‘grossly indecent’.

Isis was an Egyptian goddess who was worshipped for thousands of years by the Greeks and Romans until Christianity banned her worship in the sixth century.

Isis loved the god Osiris who was killed by Set, his jealous brother, who scattered the dismembered pieces of Osiris’ body throughout Egypt. Isis searched for each body part peice by piece but was unable to locate the penis which had been eaten by fish in the Nile. In order to resurect Osiris she had to make love to him so she created a golden phallus which is a symbol of the ancient sexual wisdom known as the Mysteries of Isis.

The Mysteries teach the secret of how sexual union can be used to commune with the gods.

Initiation grants the sacred privilege of seeing the Realm of the Gods and receiving divine vision which is beyond the illusion of Time.

Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdelene had been a High Priestess initiated into the Isis Mysteries in a previous incarnation in Ancient Egypt.

When asked at what moment the Kingdom would come, Jesus replied: ‘When the two shall become one, outside like the inside, the male with the female, neither male nor female.’ http://earlychristianwritings.com/thomas/gospelthomas22.html

This is very different from the way Catholicism and Christianity regard sex, which was decided by Augustine. Hebelieved his erection was his physical body’s betrayal of the spirit, so he deemed sex to be shameful, evil, and the work of the devil.

The church doesn’t recognise that sex is the universal life force because it can give direct access to God which would eliminate the control of the church over humanity. Instead humanity has feared and repressed sexuality, particularly that of women.

The Sun Goddess and Her Female Reindeer

During this time of the Winter Solstice I have enjoyed researching its rich history and origins in Shamanism.  But I have been saddened to discover how the Patriarchal energy, that has pervaded the World for thousands of years, has distorted our ancient traditions into a celebration of superficial excess whilst also negating the role of the feminine.

This negative energy concocted the religions and customs of the West by taking elements that had previously been known in Shamanic culture as belonging to the feminine, and flipping them into the Patriarchal masculine inversion. Here I am making a distinction between the toxic Patriarchal Masculine of ego as the opposite of the true Divine Masculine of pure love which, when partnered with its Divine Feminine counterpart, both internally and in a physical relationship, creates a powerful tortodial field capable of smashing the Archontic control matrix.

This shift from the Divine Feminine to the toxic masculine has also had the effect of causing an important celebration of the seasonal calendar to turn into an opportunity for the retail industry to make greater profits. The concept of Father Christmas has become a recent symbol of our consumerist society which requires us to buy more stuff for each other as a national custom. This is a subversion of the original notion held by the ancient indigenous shamanic cultures of Siberia, Norther Norway, Finland, and the Arctic Circle.

The patriarchal energy further distorts the truth of the Winter Solstice by negating its feminine origins, using the male as the central figure: that of Father Christmas delivering gifts on a sleigh pulled by his male reindeer Rudolph. Thousands of years ago it was the female reindeer who drew the sleigh of the Sun Goddess at the time of the Winter Solstice. She was the ancient Deer Mother who flew through the darkest night with the life-giving light of the sun in her horns.

Across the British Isles, Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia she was a revered spiritual figure associated with fertility, motherhood, regeneration, and the central theme of the winter solstice: the rebirth of the sun. It was the Deer Mother who took flight from the dark of the old year to return the light and new life.

She is the only one able to take on this role because it is only the doe who retains her antlers at this time of year; the male reindeer shed their antlers. And because of this is the female who leads the herd in winter. Therefore, in indigenous shamanic cultures it would be impossible for Rudolph to take on this role. The symbology of a male reindeer with antlers during the winter can only exist as a distortion in the false illusion of our contemporary world.

Since the early Neolithic period, the female reindeer as leader of the winter herd was honoured by the Northern people as the ‘life-giving mother’. As a symbol of her importance her antlers were placed in shrines and on altars, used in ceremonial burials, and worn as shamanic headdresses. The antlers were often depicted as the tree of life, holding birds together with the sun, moon, and stars.

Her image was celebrated in carved stone, woven ceremonial cloth, painted drums, jewellery, and tattoos and reindeer, with their antlers intact, were depicted leaping or flying through the air.

The Sun Goddess is known in Nordic countries as Beaivi and she is associated with motherhood, fertility of plants, and the reindeer. She was often depicted with her daughter in an enclosure of reindeer antlers performing a ceremony for the return of green to the land.

Other Winter Goddesses from Northern legend also flew through the skies with flying animals. The Lithuanian and Latvian goddess of the Sun, Saule, travelled the heavens in a sleigh pulled by horned reindeer throwing amber pebbles into chimneys as symbols of the regenerating sun.

It is often said that the Pagan origins of Christmas can be observed through Santa’s red and white outfit, which has its origins in the red and white amanita mushrooms ingested by shamen in order to travel to other dimensions.

But it was the female medicine healers, not the male shamen, who wore ceremonial red and white costumes trimmed with fur together with horned headdresses or red felt hats. So Santa’s outfit is another Patriarchal distortion of the feminine which takes elements from an ancient ceremonial healing tradition and turns them into superficial symbols of consumerism.

Let us remember our Celtic origins by celebrating this important date on our seasonal calendar.

Activating Discernment

As we move into the fifth Dimension (and possibly higher for some) we will naturally become less dependent on gurus, teachers, computer models, and written sources for direction. We will still use them for information gathering, but ultimately we will be discerning the truth for ourselves.

We know that both the White Hats and the Cabal have used ‘Project Looking Glass’ to see into the future so that they can intercede on events to control their own outcome. However, we also know that no matter how many times they run it, they can only reliably see a maximum of six months ahead. The Mayans used their best psychics and saw thousands of years into the future; predicting the end of the age at 2012 and the beginning of the twenty-year ascension window, which we are now half-way through. Those psychics were much more powerful than a computer and so are we!

We all have a third eye, which once fully opened will enable us to connect to our higher selves for direct downloads of information that is right for us at the right time. See a previous post on detoxing the pineal gland which is essential to remove all the sabotage the system has imposed on us through fluoride toothpaste and clacium carbonate supplements.

When we are fully healed, having let go of ego, patriarchal energy, and all of the emotional wounding from our past, we can become a very clear channel. This gives us the ability to bring down pure information, that is not distorted, to assist us with our mission here on Earth.

If we have developed our intuition we will get very strong feelings of ‘inner knowing’ (see a previous post on gifts and clair senses). It is essential to trust this and act on it or the ability will be taken away – it is like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to become stronger.

This could also be our ‘gut feeling’ which many of us have been trained to ignore. Gut feeling for me is a pain or twinge in my stomach when a situation or person doesn’t ‘feel right’. It is our emergency warning system to get out of a potentially threatening situation before it turns bad.

Alcohol, street drugs, and pharmaceuticals are designed and marketed by the cabal to cut us off from our intuition so that we become reliant on the media and politicians for direction.

Once we have stepped out of the matrix we can develop our own personal guidance system by using our hearts to discern truth:

  • Drop into your heart by thinking about something or someone you really love: your pet or child for example.
  • Feel what this feeling of true love really feels like physically.
  • Ask yourself a question which you know the answer to: ‘Do I like cheese?’.
  • Feel the true answer come through your heart. What does this feel like physically?
  • If you do like cheese feel how your heart feels when it says yes. Does it expand and feel warmer?
  • Now try a phrase that you know is untruthful: saying ‘I do not like x’.
  • How does an incorrect statement feel in your heart? Is it jarring, painful, contracting, empty?
  • We can then practice heart centred discernment to navigate through information from videos, talks, and books to find our own truth.

This is the time to stop immediately accepting the often forceful beliefs of the egoic bullies who can be found in all groups. Rather than allowing ourselves to get triggered by a new piece of information that has been insensitively delivered we can thank them for sharing their opinion and tell them we will consider what they have said. We can put what they say on our ‘for further research shelf’. This means that we don’t dismiss what they say outright but keep it for future consideration.

Usually if I hear the same recommendation three times I know that I need to look at it in more detail. For example, three different people each suggesting I read the same book. I will then read the book and feel what aspects of it resonate for me. I know that I don’t have to accept all the ideas in the book, only those that I intuitively feel are truthful for me.

I will then not recommend the book to others unless there is something in it that I know is specifically pertinent for that person. If we tell everyone to look at everything we read we put people into overwhelm.

We can also not automatically expect everyone to resonate with our truth. As we heal ourselves we will automatically drop those relationships with people with whom we nolonger resonate and move into soul mate relationships and soul groupings where we are all resonating at the same vibration, sharing the same truths.

Above all we need to share our truth in a gentle way that doesn’t seek to control others or try to ‘be right’. This is another ego trap. We need to find balance between recognising and trusting our own intutition and being open to acknowledging the truth of others; even when seems to be at odds with our own guidance.

If we allow ourselves to go into ego we will make the assumption that we are better than others and seek to elevate our own status in the group whilest pushing others down. This trap occurs when the ego subconciously feels threatened by the possiblity that another group member has greater power than us. It is a sign that we need to do more work on self-worth. All such triggers are signposts to the inner work.

I am not wrong, you are not right.
I am not right, you are not wrong.

Aho

For further information about opening the pineal gland see https://awakeneduk.wordpress.com/2021/01/27/how-to-decalcify-your-pineal-gland/.

For information about developing Clair Senses: https://awakeneduk.wordpress.com/2020/02/08/𝕊𝕥𝕖𝕡𝕤-𝕥𝕠-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕒/

The Winter Solstice

This year my family and I will be celebrating the Winter Solstice on the 21st of December (Northern Hemisphere), instead of Christmas. We will eat our favourite seasonal foods before lighting the fire pit and drumming to welcome the return of the light.

Our Celtic ancestors were used to living in harmony with Mother Earth; celebrating the cycles of the year. They recognised the Winter Solstice, or Yule, as being a powerful transition marking the shortest day and longest night of the year.

For them it was a celebration of the end of the darkness and a return to the light. At this time the goddess rests in her Dark Mother aspect preparing to give birth to the Sun God and the New Year through her night-sky womb. The rebirth of the Sun was welcomed with giant bonfires and drumming throughout the night.

We can light a Yule candle to welcome the return of the Sun and go inwards to feel what we want for the new phase by sowing the seeds of our dreams that will take root in the spring.

Yule Traditions

The Yule Log
Traditionally a log found in the woods was decorated with some sprigs of evergreen tied with a red ribbon and put in the fireplace. You can write your wishes for the new year on slips of paper and tuck them under the ribbon. Burn the log saving a piece for the next years celebration to acknowledge the completion of the cycle.

Candle Log
Take a small log with a flat base and drill holes for the candles and place on the dining table.

Yule Candle
A large red or white candle set among seasonal greenery. You can anoint the candle with seasonal oils or herbs, focussing you intentions for the new year. Light the candle at dusk and allow it to burn until the following morning. Write your wishes on paper, light them with the candle flame, and place them in a burning bowl to release your prayers to the spirit realm.

Light a Fire
You can light a fire outdoors to enjoy the dance of the Fire Sprits. Drum to assist with the birthing of the Sun.

How I Meditate

In order to navigate these hugely challenging times it is essential to remain centred and grounded. Guided meditations can be useful for achieving specific outcomes but having a daily practice of sitting and being will ultimately strengthen your ability to take control of your mind.

Mind control is something the Cabal have used against us through newspapers, television, film, radio etc. They have programmed our minds to think in a way that suits them and their agenda. In order to become sovereign and exit from the matrix we need to take control of our own minds.

We can aim to be like a tree with long roots that go deep into the earth, creating stability and being a source of nourishment so that when the winds and storms come we will be held straight and true in our own truth and power.

My Teacher

After I disengaged from my corporate life almost 20 years ago I followed my heart and went to art school as a mature student. Suddenly I met people of all ages and from all walks of life opening my mind to the possibilities beyond work and money. A friend introduced me to Buddhism and I read around the subject with great interest.

I found the work of Jack Kornfield, whom I later discovered my Buddhist friend knew, and followed the directions of how to meditate on his CD. I have followed his method with great results.

He has a website now: https://jackkornfield.com/meditations/

Here is a link to the audio recording: https://www.soundstrue.com/products/meditation-for-beginners#a_aid=5dcd8762906ed&a_bid=9d28d424

Tips

Sit in a comfortable position with a straight back and neck. Use a cushion for your lower back if you need extra support but don’t slouch. Choose the way of sitting that is best for you whilst remembering that we need to maintain a position of dignity and active control.

The aim isn’t to fall asleep or pass into a daydream but to sit in awareness of our bodies and our surroundings.

Block out a regular time in your calendar and set a reminder. Remember that on days when you are ‘too busy’ you need to do extra meditation. When I started meditating fifteen years ago I didn’t practice daily because I always found I had other things to do. This really held me back until I developed the discipline of sitting down everyday.

Results

After I developed a regular habit of meditation I started getting results that assisted me in dealing with my life. For example I stopped being pulled into a downward spiral of negative thought patterns because I was in control of my mind. My ego had lost the ability to drag me down into despair and inertia.

I also developed acceptance. Acceptance about health issues and work problems enabled me to get out of knee-jerk stress responses and to be open to ways I could make changes. It was empowering not to be taken down by adverse events. Then my perception about challenges changed: they became learning experiences to give me wisdom.

In situations where I might have once been triggered into an automatic emotional reaction I was able to maintain my grounding and keep my centre. I could then respond or disengage whilst maintaining my power and dignity.

Step-By-Step

This is a step-by-step summary of my own meditation practice which is based on the teachings of Jack Kornfield. There are other methods available and you can use your own discernment as to what feels right for you. I’m not saying that my way is the only way, I’m simply offering you some basics so that you can feel confident starting your own practice without getting overwhelmed by all of the different methods.

Sit upright in a comfortable position.

Close your eyes.

Breathe normally, focussing on the breath. Feel and hear it coming in and out.

Your mind will start to wander, this will never change. The aim is not an empty mind but a mind that can be controlled.

Over time, what does change is your ability to stop the wandering earlier in the process. This is meditation.

When a thought comes into your mind label it: eg anger, worry, planning, then visualise it as a cloud floating away.

Let the thought go. Do not judge the thought and do not allow it to frustrate you; simply accept that it came and let it go.

Focus back on the breath.

Another thought will come, the more tired you are the greater the temptation to go off with that thought.

Bring it back to the breath.

Meditation is the development of mind discipline. The stronger our ability to control our mind, the greater peace we will experience in daily life.

Another thought comes, but this time you feel it is important.

Have a notepad next to you to write down important thoughts – we are opening up a channel to greater wisdom so at times we will bring down something useful. By writing it down we can let go of it but the action of writing might disrupt our flow – do what feels right for you.

Focus back on the breath.

A car horn blasts on the road outside and shocks you. Breathe and forgive the person for acting in ego.

Focus back on the breath.

Breathe in and out. In and out. Feel the rhythm.

You feel a twinge in your neck as the muscles relax. How does it feel?

Focus on the feeling without judgement. Allow it to be. Accept the pain. Focus on the pain. Let it go.

Focus back on the breath.

Breathe in and out.

A feeling of sadness comes up. Feel into it. Where is it coming from in your body. Allow the tears to flow. Release.

Focus back on the breath.

Keep going until you feel ‘the drop’.

Expectations

The only expectation we should bring to the practice is that our minds will wander. We should not be coming with expectations of enlightenment or being better than others. This is our ego coming in. Let go of outcomes, accept that thoughts will come, and remember that the process is simply about letting them go.

You can set a timer for your mediation. However, you really need to keep going until you feel ‘the drop’. This is when the mind relaxes and you enter a meditative state. When I started a daily meditative practice nine years ago I allowed myself an hour to achieve this. As I have progressed sometimes I only need twenty minutes. It depends how busy I am and how stressful my life situation is. The more stress I have the more time I need to mediate.

Sometimes, if I haven’t slept well or I’ve had a busy morning, I get so tired by lunchtime that my head drops forward during the meditation. I will then submit to my need to sleep and go for a nap.

Ultimately this is about tuning into your body and how it feels without judgement. Simply accept and submit, trusting that this is what you need to maintain your health.

Namaste

Why Does the World Feel Out of Balance?

Today I watched a video titled ‘Why Does the World Feel Out of Balance?’ by Glorian, a spiritual organisation that publishes books about Gnostic teachings. This video is a summary of one of the laws in The Emerald Tablets of Thoth The Atlantean, who is otherwise known as Hermes Trismegistus.

Back in Egyptian times Thoth was known as Hermes and he taught the Egyptian people about The Seven Great Hermetic Principles, one of which is The Principle of Rhythm which describes how the pendulum swing operates in our daily lives.

Everything flows, out and in; Everything has its tides; All things rise and fall; The pendulum swing manifests in everything; The measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; Rhythm compensates.

The Kyballion

This is like being on a fair ground ride when we get addicted to the adrenaline rush of fear and pleasure at the same time. If we live our lives like this on a daily basis eventually we will burn out and loose the ability to think objectively and be unable to solve life’s problems effectively.

The Principle of Rhythm

The Principle of Rhythm says that there is ebb and flow in everything. The Universal Pendulum is in continual motion to and fro just as the tides rise and fall, and birth moves to death. Hermes says that Rhythm is connected to Polarity and this swing between the two poles occurs on the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. Therefore every action has an opposite reaction because the Universal Pendulum is always in motion.

However, his teachings reveal that it is only on the lower planes of consciousness that humanity can be controlled by the pendulum swing. The Earth has been in the Third Dimension for thousands of years and we have been used to being at the mercy of the swing in our unconscious state of awareness.

The Cabal are very adept at esoteric teachings so they are aware of this principle and use it to control us. They use the media to create fear, pushing us to the extreme of this emotion in order that we loose our faculties of reason and right action putting us into fight or flight mode so that we make poor choices – such as taking the j@b.

Transmutation

Hermeticists, those who follow the teachings of Hermes, can avoid this swing from one extreme to the other through transmutation. This occurs when we move ourselves into a higher plane of consciousness from the unconscious behaviour of the Third and through the Lower Fourth Dimensions to the more conscious behaviour of the Upper Fourth and the Fifth Dimensions. This can also be described as the process of awakening from unconscious behaviour, which is programming to keep us unaware and asleep.

Transmutation occurs when we transform unconscious programmed behaviour into its opposite. The opposite of fear is love and calmness. So we can transmute a swing towards fear by going inside ourselves to find equilibrium. We can invoke this place of neutrality inside ourselves through meditation, mindfulness, and grounding into the earth. We can practise opening our hearts and feeling the love of the universe.

Our awareness of the pendulum can slow the swing down so that we are mindfully observing our emotions, feeling them but not allowing them to take us on a big pendulum ride up the to extreme only to be dramatically flung back into the opposite emotion at some future point.

The Law of Neutralisation

Thus, through willpower, we can escape the effects of the pendulum swing from one extreme emotion to the other by following the methods of the Mental Law of Neutralisation which raises the ego above the vibrations of the Unconscious Plane.

This law says that we can polarise ourselves at a desired pole by refusing to participate in the backward swing. This is denial of the power of the pendulum by refusing to allow moods or negative states to affect us, bringing the attainment of poise and mental stability.

By rising above the pendulum we can allow it to pass underneath and polarise ourselves at the positive pole of ‘I am’. Thus we refuse to be swung on the pendulum of mood.

By mastering our moods and neutralising the rhythm of the pendulum you can escape the law of cause and affect. Thus we become players and not pawns. We manifest our own reality rather than self inflicted suffering. We are no longer trapped on the plane of effects: for example by not reading the newspapers we allow the fear to circulate under us as we go into a meditation to raise our vibration and transcend in an upwards motion toward love and light. This in turn will affect our environment and the people we come into contact with.

About Thoth/Hermes

Thoth / Hermes was the son of Enki, the Anunaki brother who made the primitive workers used as slaves to mine gold for the Anunaki. Hermes taught the slaves about ascension from the matrix through the foundation of the ancient mysteries.

Hermes was a God in ancient Greece who lived for 300 years and was later known as Thoth in Egypt. In Ancient Greece Hermes Trismegistus was the God of Wisdom. In Ancient Egypt, as Thoth, he was known as the ‘Scribe of the Gods’. He was a contemporary of Abraham from The Old Testament and gave Abraham some of his mystical knowledge. Today we can see that all esoteric teachings and religions have a basis in the teachings of Hermes.

However, much was kept secret because the enlightened knew that the barbarians would kill those who told the truth. This was the case with the killing of Jesus, the Romans suppressing the knowledge of the Gnostics by killing the teachers, the witch hunts carried out by the Catholics, and now the denial by the masses that certain medical interventions can hurt or kill us.

The Hermetic teachings were lost at the time of Constantine due to the suppression of the Gnostic teachings and the rise of the fake Roman religion of Christianity, which was forced on the population of the Roman Empire. The Library of Alexandria, which held many important scrolls, was burned and much of the knowledge was lost or taken to the vaults under the present day Vatican. Thus the teachings were known as being Occult, or hidden.

The Kybalion

The teachings of Hermetic Philosophy were republished at the beginning of the 20th century in a book called The Kybalion. It was published in the understanding that humanity was ready to master the mental forces can apply the knowledge to their daily lives. It can be bought from bookshops or read online here: http://www.kybalion.org/TheKybalion.pdf

References

The Glorian video simplifies Thoths teaching of the pendulum swing and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE3YJBV0U_s

The Emerald Tablets of Thoth: https://www.bookdepository.com/Divine-Pymander-Emerald-Tablets-Thoth-Hermes-Trismegistus-Marilynn-Hughes/9781519408679

Further Research

I recommend visiting Gerald Clarks Channel on YouTube for his reading of the Emerald Tablets which can be viewed via this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkpSrtJG4ZZ-hYb_aZqj1LF1WxQa9QlYl

Interview with Shaman Ngarene Stevens

In this video Alex Vitillo, a Shamanic Priestess from the UK, interviews Ngarene Stevens a Shaman and Sound Healer from New Zealand.

Ngarene talks about how she started as an energy healer developing an interest in sound healing before blending it with her Shamanic practice.

She discusses how her shamanic training has affected all aspects of her life as well as establishing healing ceremonies for the land.

Ngarene talks about her plan for 2022 to host a multi-disciplinary sound and vibration healing event to heal the land and lake near where she lives in New Zealand.

Connect with Ngarene here: https://www.facebook.com/frequencyis 

Connect with Alex here: https://www.facebook.com/Mindfullyfulfillingyourdreams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWHTJL03uxU

 

Scott Silverston of Shamanic Spirit Medicine Interview

I have been studying Shamanism for the past year via an apprenticeship with Scott Silverston having progressed through the three main modules: the Fundamentals of Shamanism, Shamanic Self Care, and finally Advanced Shamanic Practices.

This interview with Anne Kensho is a summary of his approach to contemporary Shamanic teaching.

He starts by talking about his own path through finance to Shamanism and other healing modalities before being guided by spirit to teach others. He says that although he was successful in his job as a Finance Director in Manhattan he wasn’t happy or fulfilled.

He says that this is a common problem with his clients who are also programmed by family and society into a life path that may not feel right. Scott says that we can sense that something isn’t right in the way we are living our lives because it will show as anger, frustration, sadness, fear, and profound dissatisfaction for no apparent reason. He calls such programmed behaviour ‘societal false agreements’ which can be cancelled and changed via Shamanic Consciousness.

Scott’s methodology is very different from most contemporary Shamanic teaching because he designates ten classes within the intermediate module to personal development. This ensures that each graduate understands how to clear their own channel and protect their energy giving them greater strength and the ability to avoid practitioner burn-out, which he says is common within the healing arts.

The Shamanic Spirit Medicine courses are also different in that they place an emphasis on the importance of spiritual grounding in order to overcome the filters that can distort our ability to take effective action when we receive spiritual guidance. He describes his approach to Shamanic teaching as Applied Shamanism which he says is the embodiment and grounding of the guidance from the spirit guides in the energetic realms.

He goes on to discuss Shamanic Consciousness which is the Australian indigenous tribal ‘Dreamtime’ a place of spiritual function and intuitive senses which all members of the tribe could access. This is something that Westerners are now cut-off from which causes blockages, sickness, and an inability to progress with life goals.

He goes on to discuss the role of the Medicine Wheel when applied to life experiences and projects and emphasises the importance of going into Winter to understand what the Harvest brought. Many people do not do any introspection when things go wrong with their relationships or projects which causes them to continue with the same cycle without learning from mistakes.

You can view the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nut08pPZH0

Natural Healing After Hysterectomy

Having had two months of prolonged bleeding during menstruation I ended up in A&E at QA in Cosham for urine retention. I remained in hospital for a week on a catheter whilst having two blood transfusions and various investigations. A CT scan showed an 11cm x 11cm fibroid attached down one side to the muscle core of my uterus, which had been sitting on my bladder causing the urine retention. I was advised to have an emergency hysterectomy due to the risk of further bleeding. They were so busy I had to wait five agonising weeks while taking blood clotting medication to stop me from bleeding out. It was a very stressful time. My haemoglobin was still low before the operation so I had to have another blood transfusion the day before surgery for them to be able perform the operation. Fortunately my blood loss during the operation was minimal so another blood transfusion was not required but due to issues with my bowel I remained in hospital for another week.

Here are my post operative experiences which I treated naturally.

Homeopathy

I spoke to a homeopath at Helios (a homeopathic remedies company who can be contacted on 01892 537254) and asked her which remedies she recommended for hysterectomy. She gave me a combination remedy for surgery to help bruising and inflammation which contains Arnica, Bellis Perennis, Calendula, Hypericum, and Staphysagria. All of these can be found as separate remedies in the Helios Basic Kit but I chose to buy the combination bottle so that I didn’t have to take my kit into hospital. I also took a remedy called Anaesthetic to clear the general anaesthetic out of my system (which isn’t in the Basic Kit).

I started the remedies on day two in hospital according to the directions and I came off the painkillers after around eight days which I put down to having had the remedy and the binding. My swelling also went down during the second week which can also be due to the help of both the homeopathy and the binding.

Gut Issues

The painkillers I was given in hospital were in tablet form: Tramadol, Codine, and Paracetamol and these made my stomach upset so I was given anti nausea medication. I started to eat again but I found the hospital food very heavy. After two days I ended up vomiting 4 litres of liquid over an 8 hour period – everything that I had eaten since the operation. This meant I had to be on a drip for a day.

I later discovered that during the operation the bowel is moved up and an out of the way and that this causes aggravation, which is normal. I wasn’t aware of this in advance and I believe that I should have been put on more simple foods to give my bowl chance to recover. Instead they put me on normal food and laxatives which didn’t work for me.

I eventually went home on day six where I gave myself bone broth and pureed fruit for a few days, followed by vegan yoghurt and banana. I then introduced Yorkshire puddings into which I poured the bone broth, and organic soups. I was craving carbs so I bought french fries which were thin and soft and also garlic french bread which was soft and easy to digest.

I stopped the laxatives when I returned home and instead took a table spoon of organic Flax Oil every morning. You can also take a table spoon of Psyllium Husks in water if extra help is required but I didn’t need this as I soon started having regular bowel movements.

After a week I went onto muesli for breakfast, soup for lunch, and a normal dinner such as chicken with rice. I haven’t had any further bowel issues.

I would recommend drinking bone broth to heal the gut and only eating simple foods such as soup and pureed fruit for the first week of recovery, particularly the first few days.

Binding

I tried belly binding after the birth of my second child by c-section which involved wearing a corset to keep the abdomen supported which in turn helped the incision to heal. I bought three step-in/pull-up corsets from John Lewis so that I could wash them and fortunately I kept them. A hysterectomy involves removal of the womb causing a gap to occur which can cause problems for the surrounding organs. Binding causes gentle compression that holds muscle and ligaments in place and which may help the organs to gently shift into a new position. I waited until my incision was healed and dry before wearing them. If found it helpful for lessening the pain of daily activities, the abdominal swelling reduced within a couple of days of wearing it. I intend to wear them for six to eight weeks which is the estimated recovery period for a hysterectomy.

Shamanic Healing

I asked a Shaman friend of mine to perform a removal of negative energy and a soul retrieval for my by distance session while I was in the hospital. She successfully removed a small amount of ‘grey’ energy from the space that was left where my womb was removed and she also returned some soul parts which gave me more power and energy. I found this power useful when the staff were badgering me to leave hospital on day two. I told them in the afternoon that I was in pain and that I didn’t feel confident leaving. I refused to leave and by the evening I had started to vomit so I’m glad that I stood my ground as I would never have managed fourteen vomits which totalled four litres on my own at home.

Cranial Osteopathy

I had already been seeing Josephine Luard at The Centre of Complementary Medicine in Petersfield for an ongoing neck problem so I understood the benefits of the treatment for the whole body. I saw her two weeks after the operation, and booked in for a week after that, and then fortnightly, and finally monthly. She was able to assist with adjusting the organs and the spinal fluid to support my recovery. She also helped to bring my emotions up to be dealt with and after the first session I had quite a big grieving process for the loss of my womb. I would recommend this treatment post operatively and after child birth.

Acupuncture

I have received regular acupuncture for hormonal balancing over the last ten years, which I have found to be very effective. I went to The Centre of Complementary Medicine in Petersfield to see Tamara Kircher on the weeks when I wasn’t having cranial with Josephine. After one session my liver had cleared and my concentration dramatically improved. I also had a lot of release of emotion which had been blocked in my womb space and after two sessions the feelings of grief gradually subsided.

Shamanic Journey Work

One of the biggest problems I had after the surgery was the inability to meditate or do my Shamanic journey work. My connection to my higher self, spirit guides, and the Father had been cut. My teacher, Scott Silverston, described opiate painkillers as being like a dark hood over the head, blocking the crown chakra. I attempted meditation and repeated the visits to my spirit guides every day and eventually managed to get back into my routine after a week of very dedicated practice. I was shocked to hear from Scott that the disconnection I felt after my surgery is how most people feel on a daily basis.

Sexual Issues

It is standard procedure at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth to remove the cervix during the hysterectomy. I requested to keep my cervix because I had read that it leads to shortening of the vagina which can cause sexual problems for some women. I’m glad that I did because after the procedure my consultant phone me to ask how I was getting on. I asked her what problems might occur and she said ‘sexual problems’ but that I wouldn’t be affected because ‘I kept my cervix’. It begs the question why they remove the cervix as standard if they know that it causes problems? My advice is to read up on this issue and to ask to keep it if you don’t want to take the risk of having your sex life affected.

Patriarchy Against the Feminine in Shamanism

I feel saddened to be having to write this post, which is about men being triggered by women talking about the feminine in Shamanic culture. This sadness stems from the realisation that patriarchal energy is still alive and strong even in the spiritual community – and I have seen it flowing through women too.

When I read this post from a Shamanic group on my FaceBook newsfeed I felt my heart open with a really powerful resonance.

I received the realisation of looking back at a long linage of women who were in service to others and I felt fortified by that strong female heritage behind me. It felt empowering to be part of that history.

At no point did I consider that making a statement about the feminine in relation to Shamanism would be considered to be controversial by anyone. Surely my male friends would want to celebrate the feminine energy if they knew of its power?

Apparently not. It seems that some men read this post and became upset. But instead of walking away from it with the realisation that they need to go and work on their own stuff, they stopped to take the time to project their issues onto me.

The first man said ‘why not a man?’. Well my initial response was that I didn’t say that a Shaman couldn’t be a man. Indeed much of the history of Shamanism is written by men and is about men. As a female Shaman I often feel excluded by the strong masculine energy within the practice which is similar to how I felt twenty years ago as an art student walking the halls of big museums looking at the world through the male gaze.

The past 5,000 years of patriarchy have successfully edited the feminine influence from every aspect of social history so that as a female scholar one struggles to find books about women artists or Shamen written by women and focussing on feminine perspectives. The further back in history we go the stronger the male narrative becomes with misogynistic tendencies completely normalised and accepted.

I was listening to a podcast by Gene Decode last night. He is a former military man who had a spiritual awakening and is now an intuitive in the truther movement discerning what is true intelligence about current events by using his psychic abilities. A caller into Gene’s Q&A show asked why there were missing elements from both the Platonic Solids (Spheres and Toroids) and the Greek Elements (Aether, Wood, and Metal). Gene responded that the missing elements are feminine and that feminine has been disregarded by the control system because of its power. Hence we had witch hunts where it was acceptable to falsely accuse a woman, subject her to sexual abuse, and then kill her in the most horrific way as a sacrifice to Satan.
He said that if society knew the true power women hold then all the repression would stop.

Later on another post popped up on my newsfeed which again observed the role of the feminine in Shamanic practice and related it to creative force women hold. It was attributed to an article in Tom Tom magazine but the author was not mentioned.

The most interesting and least well-known aspect of shamanism is the traditional role of women, both as shamans and drummers. British scholar Geoffrey Ashe wrote that shamans were originally women, and that the oldest form of the word ‘shaman’ is gendered female. Across Asia, female shamans have been observed since the dawn of modern anthropology, and even male shamans in some native cultures around the world have worn women’s clothes and striven for an androgynous persona in ritual to better connect with the spirit world. Some of the oldest known ritual burials were of female shamans or priestesses, in areas as far apart as Germany and Israel, dated from 8,000-12,000 years ago. How women came to embody this role so early in human history isn’t known, though their ability to produce life is most likely the answer. Ritual drums were often painted red to depict menstrual blood, had symbols of the vulva, and rituals centered around fertility and fecundity.

Feminine power therefore stems from the womb and the unique female ability to create new life which in turn feeds into the healing role of the Matriarch in tribal culture. It is an older woman’s life experience and deep understanding of the body and its natural cycles and magical rites of passage from maiden, mother, to crone that brings her to the role of healer. By coming to terms with the rhythms and changes in her own body she can assist others who are experiencing the same issues. She can guide the younger woman through menstruration, pregnancy, birth, mothering, and the menopause helping her to find the lessons and gifts they bring.

This notion of feminine bodily experience as the root of healing others is echoed in the words of Jane Hardwicke Collings founder of the School of Shamanic Womancraft in Australia:

The shaman was the community healer, seer and gatekeeper between the worlds, the spiritual ceremonialist and often the midwife. She worked with herbs, dreams, symbols, ceremony, ritual, oracles and journeying in trance states to other realms for the purpose of healing and mediation for others. Nature was her guide; she understood the interconnectedness of all things.
https://schoolofshamanicwomancraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Shamanism.pdf

It is likely that early tribal cultures would have found the process of gestation and birth a magical alchemical act. The ability to make another human from sperm inside the magical space of the womb would have revered the feminine in society. Men perhaps would have marvelled at the ability of their beloved to bring an heir of a blood lineage. This reverence is likely what first created the matriarchal cultures that came before patriarchy.

But I experienced anything but reverence for the feminine from a male Shaman friend of mine. When I read his response my heart shuddered with disgust for what he had written: that I was wrong. It is interesting that he was projecting his anger at me because the words I posted were not mine, they were written by a male writer. Therefore should it not be the writer who is wrong?

As a former admin on a natural health group I know how those who are Archontically controlled can deplete our energy with pointless arguing. As such I have learned to let others hold their own opinions without wasting my time giving the alternative view. If people try to argue with me now I just scroll past and feel confident in my ability to not allow others to intrude into my personal space. I hold my frequency high and am unaffected by the anger of others.

I deleted the comment and deleted the person as a friend as it isn’t the first time I have felt this intense negative energy directed towards me from him. I wondered though, what evidence is there that I am wrong? Of course in his egoic state of anger at my audacity as a female to associate Shamanism with the feminine he did not cite any published works.

So I decided to do my own research into the notion of the feminine in Shamanism and I’ve been fascinated with the research I have found – expect more from me on this topic.

Healing the Side Effects of Pharmaceutical Drugs

Having received two blood transfusions I was discharged from hospital to wait for my surgery date to be booked.

To prevent further bleeding I was prescribed three prescription drugs to take daily during this waiting time.

For the previous two and a half years I hadn’t had so much as one paracetamol. As a result I was feeling very tired, unable to concentrate, and feeling disconnected from my Shamanic practices.

This was compounded by having had seven days in hospital without meditation, grounding, or Qi Gung and being in a busy environment surrounded by electromagnetic radiation so I was very much depleted.

I contacted Scott, my teacher from Shamanic Spirit Medicine, for advice and he recommended contacting the Possessing Spirits of the drugs I was taking and extracting them from my body along with a soul retrieval to return any soul parts that I had lost during the hospital stay.

Having repeated this exercise a several times I suddenly got my energy back and felt well enough to go to a friend’s birthday dinner which I really enjoyed.

This experience has taught me that when prescription medication is require to save our lives, we can support ourselves with Shamanic techniques if we are negatively affected.

Understanding Physical Illness Through Shamanic Healing

This is an example of how Spiritual Healing can work alongside allopathic medicine and surgery to assist healing in the physical body.

Due to high blood loss I was taken to hospital where a CT scan showed an 11 cm diameter fibroid in my uterus connected down one edge to the middle layer of the uterine wall which required urgent surgery.

My Shamanic teacher, Scott Silverston, conducted a distance healing on me to address the spiritual aspects of the illness. He and his spirit helpers entered my uterus and saw a cut in the back wall which couldn’t heal due to a sword stabbing in from behind. This was causing heavy bleeding.

The spirit guides showed Scott how my mother had been stabbing me in the back all of my life with her anger and judgment of me. I had a pattern which was set in childhood whereby my mother would use me to process her emotions for her which left me tired, drained, and lacking the energy to fulfil my potential.

The spirit helpers conversed with her and she told them she didn’t like that ‘I am no longer taking care of her emotional needs’ and that ‘I am prioritising my own needs over hers’.

The sword was removed by the spirit helpers holding onto it as I made the choice to walk away along my true path where my mother cannot follow. The guides discover that she is a soul thief who has gained power for herself by taking my soul parts which she is told to return so that I can regain my personal power. She has hundreds of them, hidden away in different places and initially refuses to return them!

I keep the sword as a reminder of martyrdom, the old experiences, and the wounds that I bear that drove me to seek a new path. I pick up the sword to cut away the obstacles that are holding me back from realising my true potential.

I now stand in a warrior position with the broadsword pointing up to the sky and I’m standing strong in my power: nothing will get in my way.

This experience has taught me that sustained emotional abuse by a narcissist can be a cause of illness in the physical body. Indeed through my research I discovered that abuse in childhood is listed on some websites as a cause for fibroids which then grow bigger with increased stress.

SHAMANIC HOUSE HEALING

This is an example of the power of Shamanic healing on the spirit of a home.

Having bought a 100 year old house in a state of disrepair and neglect, which I had to live in, I decided to renovate the house room by room. Finally I get to the thirty-year old bathroom which has tiles dropping off the wall and a leak on the shower. I hire a competent plumber who has a week of bad luck: the ceiling falls down, the electrics are messed up, the extractor fan doesn’t have an external outlet and has made the insulation in the loft soggy, and when he tries to chip the tiles off the walls the plaster comes away in huge chunks.

So what to do? I decided to give the bathroom a Shamanic energy healing, focussing all my attention on removing the stuck energy which is preventing the renovations from moving along at a quicker pace. I then fill the room with light and ask my spirit guides to bring their assistance for the work to go more smoothly.

That evening I am alerted by cars swooshing through water on the road outside that there is water gushing up through the manhole cover on the boundary of my property. I phone the water company who come out and end up clearing the sewage drains all the way along my street. The stuck energy had pushed out of my house and into the sewer creating a blockage which was thankfully fixed.

Shamanic Drum

Rose is very pleased with the sound of her bespoke Red Deer hide Shamanic drum handmade in Lancashire by Nicola Smalley at Anglezarke Hallows.

The Red Deer hide cape was handmade in Scotland by Anthony Right at Barrhead Leather.

Rose made her own headdress using English Pheasant feathers and ethically sourced Red Deer Antlers.

https://www.anglezarkedrums.co.uk

https://barrhead-leather.co.uk

Michael Bartlett Portrait

My friend, Michael Bartlett, a talented artist whom I met at Aspex Gallery in 2008, has very kindly painted this portrait of me based on a picture he took at my solo show in early 2020.

See more of his work at http://www.michaelbartlett.org.uk

Hampshire Life – Artist Profile

Zen In The Art of Archery

Zen In The Art of Archery was recommended to me by the late Tony Carter when I was postgraduate student and he was both Principle and leader of the Fine Art MA at The City & Guilds of London Art School.

Last week I found a used copy which reminded me that I needed to read it – after thirteen years. During that time I have developed both my understanding of Buddhism and a strong daily meditation practice, which I believe puts me in a better position to understand the subtleties of the book.

Tony Carter’s understanding about the connection between Zen, archery, and artistic practice has become apparent to me on page 46 of the text. At this point the author, Eugen Herrigel, has convinced a Zen Master to teach him archery. He has spent a year learning the correct breathing technique for drawing the string of the bow. Having finally understood how to breathe and relax his body he is struggling to let the string of the bow go without jerking the bow, and thus missing the target.

‘You have described only too well’, replied the Master, ‘where the difficulty lies. Do you know why you cannot wait for the shot and why you get out of breath before it has come? The right shot at the right moment does not come because you do not let go of yourself. You do not wait for fulfilment, but brace yourself for failure. So long as that is so, you have no choice but to call forth some thing yourself that ought to happen independently of you, and so long as you call it forth your hand will not open in the right way – like the hand of a child: it does not burst open like the skin of a ripe fruit.’

I had to admit to the Master that this interpretation made me more confused than ever. ‘For ultimately’, I said, ‘I draw the bow and loose the shot in order to hit the target. The drawing is thus a means to an end, and I cannot lose sight of this connection. The child knows nothing of this, but for me the two things cannot be disconnected.’

‘The right art’, cried the Master, ‘is purposeless, aimless! The more obstinately you try to learn how to shoot the arrow for the sake of hitting the goal, the less you will succeed in the one and the further the other will recede. What stands in your way is that you have a much too wilful will. You think that what you do not do yourself does not happen.’

… ‘What must I do, then?’ I asked thoughtfully.
‘You must learn to wait properly.’
‘And how does one learn that?’
‘By letting go of yourself, leaving yourself and everything yours behind you so decisively that nothing more is left of you but a purposeless tension.’

How often do we too ‘brace ourselves for failure’ instead of ‘letting go’ in all aspects of our lives.  In relation to artistic practice this notion of ‘letting go’ can be applied such that one is no longer trying to make a picture, or indeed produce a good one. By letting go of the outcome we can feel the brush or pencil and be at one with it in the moment, unhindered, so that the brush is moving without will power, it is automatic like the muscle memory used by sports professionals.

When I learned windsurfing I was told that by breaking down the manoeuvres and practising the movements required I would be training the muscles to remember how to perform the sequences on their own, without the need to think about it. So that when the wind came up and speed together with the correct movement was required the response would be automatic. By letting go of the need to control the equipment the body would feel and respond to the wind directly without requiring any input from the mind.

For the author, the thought of letting go of the string is becoming a block to letting go well. Letting go well would prevent the jerk of the bow and therefore the target would be hit directly. Therefore by not thinking about the goal we would be better able to achieve our goal.

The Master’s comment that ‘you think that what you do not do yourself does not happen’ relates to our ability to let go and to be able to trust. Setting our intention and then letting go of it is essential for manifestation. We need to be able to put our trust in the right outcome happening without straining for it with will power.

I believe that Tony Carter was talking about going with the painting and allowing it to happen without force. Being in the moment, being in the painting, working automatically.

Show Review: Rachel Whiteread

Tate Britain
12 September 2017 – 21 January 2018

The exhibition of Rachel Whiteread’s work currently on at Tate Britain is a real treat because it is the biggest survey of her work ever shown, spanning 30 years of output. This abundance really brings attention to the extensive range of materials she has mastered in her practice during that time.

It features large-scale sculptural works in industrial materials such as plaster, resin, rubber, concrete, and metal alongside smaller works on paper, which are rarely shown publicly and usually only seen in books. Whiteread’s intimate drawings hold a fascination for me because of the variety of mark making techniques she employs; a mixture of varnish, pencil, ink, correction fluid, watercolour, and collage on a range of supports from graph to cartridge paper. She describes her use of correction fluid as being about building up layers, almost like ‘casting a drawing’. By laser-cutting into plywood her drawings have evolved into 3d forms.

Whiteread has said that drawing for her is a core activity that she uses as a visual diary to explore her thoughts and ideas on a daily basis. I feel inspired now to do this myself as a daily practice to let go and see what can come up from my subconscious.

What is particularly interesting for me about this exhibition is the way it brings together her obsession with the domestic, starting with four early sculptures from her first solo show in 1988; a dressing table, a clothes cupboard, the underside of a bed, and a hot-water bottle – which was the starting point for the series of ‘torsos’.

Whiteread became known for her unusual casting technique when she became the first women to win the Turner Prize with ‘House’ in 1993. Traditional casting methods always seek to replicate objects as they are seen, but this ambitious work was a concrete cast of the entire interior of a terraced house in London’s East End.

I have always admired her way of making negative space a solid form because of the way it toys with Freud’s theory of the uncanny by rendering the everyday into something strange, and threatening. As well as exploring the negative space around domestic objects such as tables, beds, bookcases, boxes, and architectural features including stairs, floors, windows, doors, and sheds she has also cast the invisible space inside objects like bottles and mattresses.

These works challenge our perception, creating a conceptual flip that causes us to question our sense of reality.

London Art Fair 2013

 

London Art Fair 2013
Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH

15 January to 20 January 2013

Stand 18 – Long & Ryle Gallery

Long & Ryle will be showing two new drawings which take film as point of departure:

House by the River, references Fritz Lang’s gothic noir film of the same name in which ominously billowing curtains move out of the shadows to strangle a murderer.

The Conversation, considers themes of obsessive secrecy, privacy, and the ambiguous nature of a conversation overheard in a hotel room taken from Francis Ford Coppola’s film of the same title.

Other Long & Ryle artists being shown on the stand include John Monks, Katharine Morling, Simon Casson, Geoff Routh, Helen Napper, Su Blackwell, and Ramiro Fernandez Saus.

The 25th edition of London Art Fair brings together over 100 leading galleries from across the UK and overseas. Museum-quality Modern British art is presented alongside contemporary work from today’s leading artists, covering the period from the early 20th century to the present day.

Opening Hours
Tues 15 January
(Invited guests / Preview & Six Day Ticket Holders) 
6:30pm – 9:00pm
Wed 16 January
11:00am – 9:00pm
Thurs 17 January
11:00am – 9:00pm
Fri 18 January
11:00am – 7:00pm
Sat 19 January
10:00am – 7:00pm
Sun 20 January
10:00am – 5:00pm

Artist & Illustrators

A feature on my work written by Martha Alexander was published in the September 2012 edition of Artists & Illustrators magazine.

Dark Places by Martha Alexander

Artist Fran Richardson is always on the look out for new and unusual ideas, so her award-winning drawings are inspired by everything from saints and architects to ‘uncanny’ psychology.

Looking at her large-scale charcoal drawings of domestic interiors, your assumption might be that Fran Richardson is a stickler for disciplined realism and absolute accuracy. And though that’s true to a certain extent, what you might not appreciate is that while they are flawless in their execution, they actually portray imagined spaces. “I take ideas from different places,” she says. “I am interested in the way that perspective is disrupted. Quite often the composition will not follow the laws of perspective and it brings up the idea of looking strange or unreal. It’s all deliberately done with the intention of people looking at it and thinking, ‘that’s not quite right’.”

Viewers often comment on the photorealistic finish to the drawings and it is an observation that Fran welcomes. “The idea it that it looks real but when you look closer it looks wrong,” she explains. “It can be very subtle.”

Fran’s approach is borne out of an interest in the idea of psychological or dream spaces – in other words, imagined settings comprised of the jumbled up elements of a variety of domestic interiors. Her interest in the concept came about as part of the research for her BA in painting from the City & Guilds of London Art School. The artist has always had an interest in psychology and it was only then that she began reading about dream theory. “I found out about the link between the house and the mind,” she says, explaining how the psychologist Jung had dreamt of a house with multiple levels – cellar to attic – and how he related these levels to the subconscious. “Then I went on to read Freud who wrote about the ‘uncanny’ – when the familiar suddenly becomes strange or threatening – so those two lines of enquiry became a starting point for all the drawings in my BA show.”

Fran’s reading has naturally slowed down a great deal since she graduated from her subsequent masters course in 2006. However, given that her work is so anchored in psychological concepts, research is an integral part of her practice –even if some of it does sound slightly surreal to the point of bizarre. “A year ago I had my first solo show at Long & Ryle and the basis for that was [prominent 16th –century Spanish mystic] St Teresa of Avila, who described the spirit as like a crystal. She related the crystal to being a castle with many rooms.”

Nevertheless, such unusual and multifaceted starting points help to keep Fran’s work fresh. “Every so often something crops up – I read about it and it directs my drawing into different areas, but I don’t deliberately go out to read lots of theory.”

Her training at City & Guilds of London Art School wasn’t all purely theoretical however: “The schools is unusual in that it has a lot of focus on drawing as a basis of research and the tutors really support drawing.”

Life drawing classes were offered to students on two evenings of each week and observational drawing was likewise encouraged in the painting department. Unusually, despite studying both a BA and MA in painting, Fran’s affinity for draughtsmanship was such that her final degree show consisted entirely of drawings. That body of work has since formed the basis of the work she is producing now: “My masters and beyond was all about developing the work.”

Fran’s large-scale drawings are underpinned by collage: she collects old books and magazines, the pictures from which will often end up forming part of her completed works. “I tend to keep my inspiration in files so if I come across a book or magazine feature that might be useful, I file it away for reference so I can come back to it later,” she says. “My studio is full of works in progress, notes to myself or just white walls.”

Visiting old building to sketch is an important part of her process. Where possible she tries to get permission to take photographs, too. Fran especially likes Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. Situated in the legendary Bank of England architect’s former home at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the museum now houses his collections of art and antiquities. “It’s a depository of history and a brilliant starting point,” says Fran. “Not only the objects in the building but the way [Sir John Soane] changed and altered buildings to manipulate light sources. He would have a really dark corridor and put a skylight in to bring a shaft of light down to focus on the different areas. He was playing with chiaroscuro and that’s something that’s still filtering through my work now.”

That use of tonal contrast in her drawings might be inspired by classical architecture, but it is very much down to her, given that the rooms she depicts are ultimately imaginary: “As the drawing develops, I’ll move the light source around and make it very dark, black and velvety.”

Fran was recently shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize and her pleasure at the acknowledgement goes beyond simply the prestigious nature of the prize itself. “It was really nice to be selected by Rachel Whiteread because I looked at her work a lot when I was working towards my BA dissertation and wrote about the uncanny. Her sculpture came into it – the way she subverts the domestic. I really admire her drawing, too.”

In just five years since graduating, Fran has also been awarded the drawing prize at the National Open Art Competition and a visitors’ choice award at Brighton Festival. Buoyed by her success, she now feels it’s important that artists who focus on drawing are given the recognition they deserve in open art competitions. “To be exhibited alongside painting and sculpture is a huge development if you look at the history of drawing. It was always considered to be secondary to painting and sculpture and it was seen as just something that came before them. It’s good that drawing is starting to be considered as work in its own right.”

 

The National Open Art Competition 2011

The 15th National Open Art Exhibition

10 – 29 December 2011
Open 10am – 9pm daily
Minerva Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, Chichester PO19 6AP

‘Il Gattopardo’ has been selected by Gavin Turk (artist), Catherine Lampert (former director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London), Lisa Wright (2009 winner), Rosie Emerson (artist) and Francis Hodgson (Financial Times) for the 2011 exhibition.

All work is for sale, admission is FREE.

Panel Led Discussion
19.00 15 December
Piers Ottey (artist), Prof Ed Chaney (expert on the Grand Tour), David Lee (Jackdaw), Steve McDade (Head of Fine Art at the University of Chichester, and Mandy Shepherd (artist) will all discuss their views on contemporary art and the exhibition.

Artist Walkabouts
Tim Sandys- Renton and Piers Ottey talk you round the exhibition.
18.00 12 December
12.00 14 December
12.00 19 December
12.00 21 December

http://www.thenationalopenartcompetition.com/index.php

Jerwood Drawing Prize 2011

“Drawing Room” is one of the 73 pictures selected from 3500 entries for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2011. The selectors were Iwona Blazwick, Director, Whitechapel Gallery; Tim Marlow, writer, broadcaster and Director of Exhibitions, White Cube; and Rachel Whiteread, artist.

The Jerwood Prize exhibition will be at Jerwood Space, London from 14 September – 30 October 2011.

The exhibition will then tour nationally including BayArts, Cardiff and the Burton Art Gallery & Museum, Bridport.

Exhibition Catalogue
excerpt from the exhibition catalogue

The following artists were accepted for the 2011 Jerwood Drawing Prize exhibition:

Liam Allan
Reginald Aloysius
Gillian Anderson
Iain Andrews
Liz Bailey
Adam Bainbridge
Robert Battams
Karen Blake
Jessie Brennan
Tobias Buckel
Ruth Chambers
Sophia Crilly
Kasia Depta-Garapich
Clara Drummond
Chris Eckersley
Hilary Ellis
Kristian Evju
Louisa Fairclough
Dave Farnham
Kristian Fletcher
Joy Gerrard
Thomas Gosebruch
David Hamilton
Lottie Jackson-Eeles
Jessica Killeen
Gary Lawrence
Mark Lawrence
Simon Leahy-Clark
Ka Wah Liu
Bethan Lloyd Worthington
Johanna Love
Steven Lowery
Brendan Lyons
Ruby Manson
Lorna McIntosh
Paul Mcloughlin
Richard McVetis
Liam Murray
Raksha Patel
Tracey Payne
Andrew Penketh
Tooney Phillips
Frank Pudney
Alastair Rech
Giulia Ricci
Fran Richardson
Arthur Roberts
Nicki Rolls
Janine Rook
Daniela Sarigu
Laura Smith
Ash Summers
Sally Taylor
Samuel Taylor
Amikam Toren
Avis underwood
Felicity Warbrick
Roanna Wells
Mick Welbourn
Polly Yates

Interior Castle – Solo Show of Charcoal Drawings

Exhibition: 10 March – 8 April 2011
Gallery opening times: tues. – fri. 10 – 5.30 + sat. 11 – 2:30
Nearest tube: Pimlico

This exhibition of finely rendered charcoal drawings takes the celebrated 1579 book by the mystic St Teresa of Avila as a point of departure to propose a visual contemplation on perception, memory, and the symbolic nature of interior space.

During a meditation Teresa had a vision in which the soul was ‘a castle made of a single diamond … in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions.’ This body of work explores the opulent splendour of the various rooms through which the soul in its quest for perfection must pass before reaching the innermost chamber, the place of complete transfiguration. We are invited as voyeurs to enter a private world of intimate spaces imbued with hidden meaning and complex emotions.

Building on previous series of interiors, Richardson continues to explore the representation of psychological space by blending architecture and furniture from different sources through a process of appropriation, selection, collage, and re-presentation. The fragmented imagery is transformed by design elements such as cropping, reversing, and redrafting. Perspectival irregularities are exploited to subtly disrupt the final composition, suggesting a sense of unease that questions our perception of reality and the enigma of appearances.

The drawing process facilitates the manipulation of tone by employing a meticulous technique that carefully distributes deposits of charcoal onto the surface. Value is achieved by controlling the extent to which the texture of the ground shows through the spread of black: in this sense we are presented with the materiality of the surface as much as the image. For Richardson drawing is a primary activity and a stand-alone medium; these works are not the evidence of a preliminary stage that serves painting as a conceptual aid, they are finished works in their own right. Charcoal was selected because it is receptive to minor adjustment permitting subtle gradations in tonal value and sharp contrast between the pure white of the paper to the dense, velvety blackness of the shadows, conveying a sense of ethereal, atmospheric mystery that references early film noir.

By combining the imaginative transformation of appropriated imagery with a realist language that evokes the naturalistic qualities of light, space, and atmosphere, Richardson works in the Dutch tradition of painting imaginary architectural portraits. All works on paper are professionally framed to archival standard in hardwood box frames glazed with Water White ultra clear glass, which is anti- glare, anti-reflective, and UV protective.

Richardson was recently awarded The Arts Club Charitable Trust drawing prize at the National Open Art Competition, the Brian Sinfield Fine Arts Award at Pastels Today and the Visitors’ Choice Award at the Brighton Festival Selectors’ Choice exhibition. Drawings were also selected for the Manifest International Drawing Annual 4 and Drawing Room II, a survey of contemporary drawing at the Royal West of England Academy. Fran Richardson is represented by Long & Ryle, London and is a visiting lecturer at the City & Guilds of London Art School, London.

Please contact Emma Wingfield or Sarah Long for further information.

LONG&RYLE 4 JOHN ISLIP STREET LONDON, SW1P 4PX
longandryle.com

The National Open Art Competition Winners

Monday 23rd – Monday 30th November
Pallant House Gallery, 9 North Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TJ

‘Untitled – Bed 7’ has been awarded The Arts Club Prize for The Finest Drawing in the Show and will be exhibited at Pallant House Gallery with the other 17 prize winners.

The National Open Art Competition

Saturday 7th November – 21st November Open 10am – 9pm daily
The Minerva, Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park Chichester, PO19 6AP

‘Untitled ­ Bed 7’ has been selected by Gavin Turk (artist), Catherine Lampert (former director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London), and James Stewart (Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel). All work is for sale, admission is FREE.

New Contemporaries I, The Bristol Gallery

Having opened its doors to critical acclaim with their inaugural exhibition, Myth and History in September 2009, The Bristol Gallery is now pleased to present New Contemporaries I. The Bristol Gallery’s latest exhibition features the best and the brightest emerging contemporary artists, brought together for the first time at our premises on Bristol’s prestigious Harbourside development. The show explores new parameters and directions, bringing a diverse range of talent and experience to new audiences in the region. The exhibition acts as site for unusual and exciting discoveries, promoting and creating access to vibrant contemporary visual art with a lively assembly of artists working in a range of media including photographs, textiles, abstracts, video, installation and sculpture.

We are proud to present works by Arno, Jan Lewin-Cadogan, Rakhee, Nicola Dale, Cordelia Spalding, Katharine Barker, Paul Wright, Fran Richardson, Alison Black, Susan Bowman, Peter Walker, Michelle Lord and Helen Grundy at affordable prices ranging from £150.00 – £15,000.00.

The exhibition runs from Saturday 7th November 2009 – Thursday 7th January 2010.

New Contemporaries I aims to show new and exciting art that engages the viewer in both looking at and thinking about the art on display; with this in mind The Bristol Gallery has carefully selected artworks to provide broad scope and multiple possibilities for visual interpretation and impact for audiences and collectors throughout the region.

Curated by Andrew Price and Holly Lopez.

Gallery Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Late night opening: Thursday until 8pm

Further Information:
The Bristol Gallery
Building 8, Unit 2
Millennium Promenade
Harbourside
Bristol BS1 5TY

Tel: 0117 930 0005
Website: www.thebristolgallery.com

Art London

I am showing work with Long & Ryle at Art London 8-12 October 2009 at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London. http://www.artlondon.net

Brighton Festival 2009

Fran has been awarded the Visitors Choice Prize by visitors to the ‘House: Art and Domestic Space’ show on recently at The Regency Town House. Throughout the Brighton Festival visitors were able to vote for their favourite artist taking part in the Selectors’ Choice exhibition.

The Selectors’ Choice exhibition showcases work of artists exhibiting in the Open Houses. The exhibition, chosen by curators from Brighton Museum, Pallant House Gallery Chichester and The Regency Town House, mixes accomplished, dynamic and engaging work in a stunning gallery space. ‘Untitled – Chair 3’ and ‘Untitled – Bed 5’ have been selected by Nicola Coleby (Exhibitions, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery), Simon Martin (Assistant Curator, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester), and Woodrow Kernohan (Director, Permanent Gallery).

The domestic context of The Regency Town House forms the perfect setting for an open exhibition based on the theme of ‘House’. Over 80 artists submitted work, and the work chosen provides an imaginative discourse on the theme. ‘House’ is explored through its association with domesticity, shelter, enclosure, space, materials, family, memory and many other meanings. The work ranges from complex to deceptively simple, from evident association with the theme to more subtle exploration that rewards engagement. Assemblages, moving image work, paintings and prints are combined in a thought provoking exhibition in the resonant setting of this Regency period townhouse in the midst of restoration.

Pastels Today 2009

‘Untitled – Bed 8’ has been awarded the Brian Sinfield Fine Arts Award. The drawing was selected from an exhibition of the best of contemporary pastel painting and drawing in the UK on show at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London. On show was a variety of work in pastels, oil pastels and charcoal, reflecting the diverse nature of the medium, and included work by the late Mark Leach and invited artist John Emmanuel.

Manifest International Drawing Annual 4

Fran is pleased to announce that her charcoal drawing ‘Untitled – Bed 7’ has been selected for The Manifest International Drawing Annual 4.

Featuring 100 contemporary drawings selected from over 1100 submissions by artists from across the globe the book will go on sale in September 2009 from Amazon or at www.manifestgallery.org.

The Manifest Drawing Centre, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, publishes the International Drawing Annual to promote, feature, and explore drawing as a rich and culturally significant art form in the United States and beyond.

www.franrichardson.com