The Problem
Iodine deficiency is one of the major health risks today in the eyes of the World Health Organisation and this is a sad state of affairs because it hasn't been a problem in developed countries for a very long time, now it is a problem in every country.
There is an old saying that indicates: "You are what you eat" and this deficiency is connected to the input of Iodine to our bodies, but before we go into this and state the very, very low cost cure it is prudent to point out the effects of this deficiency: Our Iodine intake has a direct effect upon our IQ and people with the deficiency are showing a loss of up to 15 points. In Tibet where this deficiency is most prevalent few children have an IQ that exceeds 85 and this means that it is almost impossible to teach them beyond primary school curriculum. This situation is now happening in every nation of the world; yours included.
The other part of the body that depends upon adequate Iodine intake is the Thyroid Gland and often the first visible sign of the deficiency is a swelling of the neck area.
Daily Requirement
Our bodies require very little Iodine, in fact about 1 teaspoon throughout our entire life is enough. That doesn't mean you can take it in one hit because that figure is spread over your lifespan.
So how is it possible that intake was sufficient ten years ago but is insufficient today?
The major reason is that most nations have stopped using Iodine solution to sterilize milk containers before bottling; today they use a Chlorine solution. The old system used to leave a beneficial contamination of Iodine that mixed with the milk when it was bottled. This amount was sufficient to fulfill the needs of our bodies.
Concerns
One of the major concerns today is deficiency in pregnant women that is leading to children with lowered IQ, low attention span (no substantial proof yet that it is connected to Attention Deficit Disorder, but it is being explored) and also a risk to the operation of their Thyroid Glands. In years gone by a child received this naturally from the mother whilst in the womb, from breast feeding and later when drinking milk. Most mothers today are so deficient themselves that they have none to pass on to their child and as we have already pointed out our milk no longer provides it.
The Simple Solution
So what is the answer? Here I resist the urge to point you to some Iodine supplement and pick up a commission for sending you there because it is far simpler than that. The answer is to throw away the salt that you use to cook and season your food and replace it with Iodinised Salt (it tastes the same and costs just a few cents more). Yes it is truly as simple as that. You don't need to increase your intake of salt because salt is still a cause of high blood pressure, you just need to continue using salt in the same safe manner that you use it now, just replace normal salt with Iodinised salt. End of problem.
Look for the Product
My local supermarket has 31 different packages of salt on display and only two are Iodinised, needless to say they are on the bottom shelf and out of sight to most shoppers. If your supermarket doesn't stock it then request that they do or make enquiries with your local Pharmacy. This health threat is far too serious to ignore. The time to throw away your old salt is NOW. It's your health that is at stake.
This article is copyright David McCarthy 2005 and may only be re-produced in its entirety without any additions.

About The Author

David McCarthy is webmaster of http://www.recipesmania.com a website devoted to freely sharing knowledge on all facets of food, cooking, weight loss, food related health subjects and a free weight loss program. It contains recipes for all occasions from health to partying.