Many people know that iodine plays an important part in the functioning of the thyroid and in the production of thyroid hormone, but what’s less recognized is the role of the nutritional element in breast health. Iodine deficiencies are thought to be at least partially responsible for the increasing incidence of cancers of the breast. The ocean mineral is also important for keeping them fibroid free.
However, while the thyroid can turn iodine supplements into usable iodine, the breasts don’t have the same enzyme chemistry to effectively make that conversion. So if you want breast tissue to have iodine, you want to make sure you’re eating food iodine, which is easier for the mammary glands to utilize.
Because iodine is mostly found in the ocean you’ll need to be ingesting lots of sea foods to keep your breasts supplied with this underappreciated nutrient. Of course fish and shellfish are good sources, but if you’re concerned about ocean toxicity, seaweed products like kelp and nori, which are available in Asian markets, can be especially helpful and healthy. Not only do they contain bioavailable iodine, they’re also packed with something called Alginic acid, which is one of nature’s most powerful detoxifiers of heavy metals and radioactive elements.
