Iodine: Forgotten Natural Remedy Against Flu Virus

• Historical use of iodine – major flu outbreak with Spanish Influenza
• Iodine in the body. Where to find iodine in nature and iodine supplements
• Medical studies and recommendations about iodine deficiency

Natural remedies have had a marvelous resurgence in the last 15 years. Many of these may be thought of as our “grandmother’s cures,” however, the base for many of our pharmaceutical drugs are found in nature. From swamp tea to duck liver, one is never surprised by the new information cropping up. One of the most popular remedies for colds and now the flu virus is iodine. Iodine is a requirement of our bodies – but what does it do and how effective might it be in case of a flu outbreak?

Iodine is a requirement of our bodies for healthy growth. Most of the iodine we have in our body is stored with in the thyroid gland and helps caloric processing and thereby reduces the accumulation of fat as well as removal of toxins. Iodine deficiency may cause mental retardation, depression, goiter, constipation, decreased fertility, abnormal weight gain and chances of still birth.

Many natural sources of iodine can be found. Iodized salt is one of these sources and is relatively inexpensive. Other iodine sources include: deep water fish, shellfish, brown and regular seaweed kelp, canned tuna and sardines, oysters and salmon. Vegetables with a high level of iodine are: summer squash, spinach, turnip greens, lima beans, soy beans, sesame seeds and garlic.

As long as it doesn’t dehydrate, anything that assists in detoxifying your body will help as part of your regiment to fight off the flu virus. Hydration is a very important aspect for the health of your body, especially with regard to high fevers and the flu virus.

The Spanish Influenza, one of the most destructive examples in our history of a flu outbreak, occurred in 1918. To help combat this flu virus, many people added a few drops of iodine to their daily milk intake.

While the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has included “iodine based antiseptics” for surface cleaning use, there is no evidence of recommendation for internal use to ward off the flu virus.

The Japanese have a high iodine diet due to their intake of a large percentage of sea vegetables and marine life. Historically, Americans used to add iodine as part of our bread ingredient. Today, bromides in bread and fluorides in water compete with the iodine we do get in our diets.

There is a wide variety of information on the Web for the use of iodine as a flu remedy. There aren’t any scientifically based studies or validation from the medical community. This is not uncommon in situations where there isn’t a monetary gain.

If you are going to use iodine as part of your flu-fighting regiment, be careful to note that the shelf product used for first-aid is for topical (non-internal) use only. There are many liquid drop iodine products available. It is recommended that you go to a reputable health food store to purchase any iodine product as well as iodine supplements that you will be using internally. You can also talk to an independent pharmacist that specializes in integrative medicine and drug/medicinal interactions.

As always, it is best to use naturally found iodine rather than an iodine supplement. There may not be as much of the active ingredient in a supplement, thereby causing an iodine deficiency, when you thought the supplement would be enough.

Any use of an alternative treatment should be combined with a consultation with your medical physician. The information supplied in this article is not to be considered or used as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.