SurvivalMedicineBlog

Natural Ways to Combat Latent Radiation Damage

   With an ongoing issue from the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami in the early part of 2011, there have been questions raised (yet again) about the contamination of the US food supply, especially from foods coming from the western part of the US including seafood from the Pacific Ocean. While we can most certainly take the precaution of knowing where the food we eat comes from, many times, we can’t find that information out or it maybe that we simply cannot avoid buying or eating foods that have been exposed to the fallout from Fukashima. But we can help ourselves by knowing what to do and what to eat to protect ourselves.

First line of defense is to….

Stay CALM!

You don’t freak out over getting a CAT scan, MRI, X-Ray nor do you even begin to think about the food on store shelves that have been irradiated to extend shelf life or kill bacteria. Life saving medical treatments also introduce radiation into the body. Cell phones and many other everyday ‘things’ also put out radiation, so we are already dealing with radiation ‘contamination’ within our bodies and we don’t think twice about any of this. Certainly the contamination coming from Fukashima is something to be concerned about, but knowledge is power and gives us peace of mind. We will NOT be able to avoid radiation in our environment nor in our food system, but we can counter-act the damage that it may cause.

There are very simple ways to help the body remove radiation from the body. The ‘biggies’ (by the way) that we are most concerned about are Iodine-131, Cesium-137, Uranium-234 and Strontium. I have avoided mentioning kelp and seaweed because most of the ones available commercially come from areas that are heavily contaminated with the very isotopes we trying to avoid and/or protect ourselves against. But if you can find a good source that can be verified as clean, then by all means have at it.

ACE- vitamins A, C, E. These are antioxidant vitamins that protect your bodys cells from environmental damage. You may get these through supplements or through the food you eat. If you choose to use a supplement to get these vitamins, make sure that you use a natural form of vitamin E…the synthetic version is not as effective as the natural form of vitamin E.

B vitamins are essential also to helping us ‘detox’ and feel great.

Garlic – Garlic’s high sulfur content supports natural antioxidant systems like glutathione. Garlic extracts protect red blood cells from radiation damage by a glutathione-related mechanism. In mice, garlic extracts prevented radiation damage to chromosomes in vulnerable bone marrow cells.

Onions – Cysteine, present in onions, binds with and deactivates both the radioactive isotopes and toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. The sulfur in cysteine helps the kidneys and liver detoxify the body.

Pectin which is present in many fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, citrus fruits and beans, binds to and helps eliminate from the body different radioactive isotopes.

Potassium – Cesium-137, cesium-134, potassium-40, and potassium-42 are radioactive, competitive sister elements of natural potassium, all of which are in the same chemical family. These radionuclides are absorbed by the body when there is a deficiency of natural potassium. They concentrate primarily in the reproductive organs and the muscles. Cesium-137 is common in nuclear fallout, and can often be detected in our food, soil, and water. The authors of one study described our biosphere as “contaminated with radiocesium.”

Researchers discovered that after the accident atChernobyl, iodine-131 and cesium-137 were the most prevalent radionuclides in samples of food from theUSSR and fromPoland, Hungary, and other parts ofEastern Europe. Cesium-137 is also already being used in some countries to irradiate foods as a means of extending their shelf life at the supermarket. Research by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates that natural potassium decreases the concentration of radiocesium. Potassium carries an electrical charge and is “wed” to sodium in many of the electrical/chemical balancing chores it performs in our bodies. Adequate intake of potassium is critically important when exposure to radiation is a threat because abundant potassium in the blood stream will block rapid absorption of Cesium-137.

Begin to add potassium rich foods such as potatoes, avocado, raisins, sardines, flounder, orange juice, winter squash, banana, apricots, cantaloupe, tomato, milk, salmon, beans, sweet potato, beef liver, peaches, steak, haddock, pork, lamb, turkey, tuna, and chicken.

Herbs with high levels of potassium include sage, catnip, hops, dulse, peppermint, skullcap, kelp, and red clover. You’ll also find it in horsetail, nettles, borage, and plantain. If a nuclear event escalates in which cesium is being released, then also adding supplemental potassium is recommended. Potassium regulation is affected by magnesium.

Magnesium rich foods are Whole wheat bread, Whole grain cereals, tofu, spinach, soy milk, pumpkin and squash seeds, scallops and rockfish, raw plantain, okra, oysters, peanuts, halibut, raw broccoli and black beans.

Spirulina – a single-celled freshwater algae and an incredible source of nutrients. It provides generous amounts of Beta Carotene, Vitamin B-12, Iron and Chlorophyll. Spirulina also provides RNA, DNA and important GLA fatty acids.

Chlorophyll – A Report by Scottist in 1986 and report fromJapanshowed that increase absorption of Cadmium by Chlorella and increased excretion of Cadmium by threefold after intake of Chlorella from animal testing. Chlorella can also detoxify Uranium, Lead, Copper, PCB. Source: ” A good Health Guide: Chlorella ” by William H Lee. R. Ph.D. and Michael Rosenbaum, M.D. Guinea pigs on a diet rich in chlorophyll showed increased resistance to lethal X-rays.

Both Spirulina and chlorophyll are consider ‘super foods’…meaning they are nutrient dense and highly detoxifying…great for the body no matter what.

One comment I must make about purchasing Spirulina and Chlorophyll…know where it is coming from! I would personally avoid any spirulina or chlorophyll that comes from areas already contaminated by radiation includingChina.Hawaiiwould be the safest bet for spirulina. Heck, you can ‘grow’ your own algae if you so desire!

Charcoal – Has the ability to absorb and neutralize radioactive substances and some toxic materials. Researchers report that 10 grams or 1 tablespoon of charcoal can absorb about 3 to 7 grams of materials. Taking finely powdered charcoal has been found to be one-and-a-half times as effective as the tablets. You may even put the charcoal into capsules if you so desire.

Zeolite – Zeolites have been used to decontaminate animals, particularly sheep and reindeer, which have ingested radiation following nuclear disasters such asChernobyl. Addition of zeolites to contaminated soils has shown to reduce up-take of radionuclides by plants, and hence, reduce the spreading of contamination through the food chain. (Introduction to Zeolite Science and Practice by Herman van Bekkum). Do not take any product containing zeolite if you are taking any prescription medication containing heavy metals, such as lithium, or containing platinum, which can be found in some cancer medications or Radiotherapy with chemotherapy check with your practitioner.

Medicinal mushrooms such as, Reishi, Turkey Tail, Matiake, Shitake and Chaga are all very important and well documented to enhance over-all immunity, protect against cellular changes and act as effective protectors against radiation poisoning as well as all manner of toxins that we ingest through out environment.  Eatten raw  (or in a yummy dish) or made into a tincture or syrup once or twice daily.

Rosemary –Rosmarinus officinalis – Rosmarinus has been revered for its protective qualities down through the ages. It’s now been found that two compounds in this wild Mediterranean plant, Carnosic and rosmarinic acids, naturally deter radiation poisoning.

In a study published this year in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2 edition, scientists inSpainreported finding that nothing fights radiation damage to micronuclei as well as rosemary. The fact that these compounds found in rosemary are fat soluble allows them to provide highly significant protective anti-mutagenic activity. Even the most powerful water-soluble antioxidants lack the capacity to protect against gamma ray induced damage.

In another study published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology, the generation of radiation induced cellular DNA damage to skin from free radicals was the focus. The researchers sought to demonstrate that rosmarinic acid from rosemary would act as a photo-protector both by acting as a scavenger of free radicals and as an inducer of the body’s own endogenous defense mechanisms. They found that formulation of toxic production was delayed by the use of rosmarinic acid, and the protection factor was 3.34 times greater than for other compounds studied, as measured in micronucleus testing.

Take 30 drops of rosemary tincture once to three times daily in a bit of water, depending on your level of exposure. For those primarily concerned about food exposure once a day will suffice.  Rosemary infused oil, applied to the skin will also be effective. Use dried rosemary often in your cooking, and drink rosemary teas and infusions.

Liver nourishing roots such as American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock, (Arctium lappa) are loaded with mucilaginous properties and assist with the elimination of toxins out of the body…they act as a kind of magnet, pulling these radioactive elements to them and helping you excrete them through the eliminative organs.

Additionally American Ginseng, is proven to be radioprotective; it specifically protects human DNA from damage due to radiation particle ingestion, protects human peripheral lymphocytes from radiation induced stress, prevents radiation induced illness and protects against Cesium-137 exposure. 30 drops of tincture in water, once to three times daily should be an effective dose of any of these roots. Adding them to soups and stir fries and making water-based decoctions and/or syrups are all effective ways of using them.

I found an additional resource that is well thought out and lays it all out on radiation exposure, from the ‘biggie’ event down to environmental exposure. It is a download that would be well worth printing off for future reference.

http://meditationexpert.com/RadiationDetox/

As a last thought, while what happened in Japan last year is most certainly a human and environmental disaster that we have not yet fully come to appreciate nor seen the end of yet, we do have the power to help ourselves, protect ourselves and loved ones from the ‘fall out’ of radiation from environmental sources to man-made disasters. We can’t avoid eating…and Fukashima is not the only source of radiation contamination in our food chain. It occurs naturally too, but there are ways to counter-act it and they are simple and effective and most of us are probably already doing things that help to protect ourselves against radiation damage without even thinking about it. Even afterChernobylthose who ate ‘contaminated’ foods that were high in anti-oxidants, potassium and magnesium showed less of an effect from the radiation than those who did not. In other words, they couldn’t avoid eating contaminated crops, but they still ‘pulled through’ with less ill effects and many never developed any problems at all except for those closest to the disaster with direct exposure. Pick a couple of ‘new’ things to add to your diet and sleep well tonight knowing you are protecting yourself and loved ones from radiation danger.

Information resources:

http://www.radiationdetoxification.com/

http://gailfaithedwards.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/natural-substances-to-protect-ourselves-from-radiation/

http://starcreate.hubpages.com/hub/Natural-ways-to-detox-radiation

April 5, 2012 - Posted by Survivingshtfmom | Guidelines, Herbs, Self-Help | alternative, chlorophyll, foods, Fukashima, herbs, natural, preparedness, radiation, rosemary, safe, safety, spirulina, survival medicine, thyroid