What you can eat to beat nuclear plant fallout.
Last Friday, Japan was hit with an 8.9-magnitude earthquake—the largest since the country began keeping records in the 19th century. It was followed by a tsunami that ripped through the country’s coastline, destroying virtually everything in sight. The quake damaged several nuclear reactors, leading to threats of harmful radioactive leaks and meltdowns. Because radioactivity is airborne, it can be transported for hundreds of miles beyond its origin.
This air-borne radiation may take weeks or even months to reach our coasts, but reach us, it will.
Radiation damages living tissue by removing electrons from other atoms or molecules with which it comes into contact. These radioactive particles get into our bodies via air, water, or food—destroying tissues, organs, cells, and genes. It does its damage by attaching to the cells—where it stays for a very long time—absorbing large amounts of minerals and trace elements, leaving the body with little reserve to carry on its normal functions of digestion, absorption, elimination, and reproduction.
Radiation zaps our immune system, leaving us vulnerable to all sorts of nonspecific ailments, from mystery viruses to attacks of “flu.” While fatigue, loss of appetite, skin problems, and loss of taste are the most common short-term symptoms, the effects on our long term health can be horrendous—premature aging, cancer, leukemia, genetic mutations, abnormal blood clotting, and thyroid and bone disorders. Radiation exposure from nuclear plant fallout—as well as fallout from the detonation of atomic bombs—can even create mental impairment and increased fetal and infant deaths.
So, what can we do to keep ourselves and our families safe? The good news is there are many healing foods and supplements available to help the body fight back. Here are my recommendations:
Minerals are the spark of life and even more important than vitamins when it comes to cellular health. They recharge us on a minute to minute basis, empowering every cell, organ, and tissue of the body.
Radiation RX Superstars:
• Sea vegetables—with their high sodium alginate content—are great radiation chelators. Choose from nori, wakame, kombhu, arame, dulse, hijiki, kelp, and agar agar. Many of these foods—in addition to miso soup—were fed to the staff and patients of a hospital in Nagaski, Japan when the atomic bomb hit the area in World War II.
• Vegetables high in beta carotene aid in boosting immunity and protecting mucus membranes from extreme dryness and reddening of the tissues caused from radiation exposure. Choose from kale and all greens, carrots, spinach, pumpkin and winter squash, beets, sweet potatos, melons, apricots, and other yellow, and orange, and red fruits and vegetables.
• Homeopathic cell salts—especially Cadmimum Sulph and Kali Phos—are well recognized radiation antidotes.
• Potassium, calcium, and mineral rich foods help support thyroid function—the gland that is most easily impacted by radiation exposure of any type. Choose from fruit, nuts and seeds, fish, and poultry.
Other helpful radiation food remedies:
• High nucleotide content foods to protect DNA integrity. Choose from sardines, anchovies, and brewers yeast.
• Adaptogens. Choose from astragalus, ginsing, shiitake and maitake mushrooms.
Supplementation:
• Potassium iodide saturates the thyroid with stable iodide so it won’t absorb radioactive iodine. A fully saturated thyroid would be protected for up to one month—long enough for radioactive iodine (with a half-life of 8 days) to disappear from the environment. Try Iodoral, which contains potassium iodide. You can order it by calling UNI KEY at (800) 888-4353. Please be aware that because of high demand supplies are limited. You may also try searching your local health food store.
• Bee propolis is the resin bees make to build their hives to protect against pathogens and molds. It’s a source of caffeic acid that can protect lymphocytes (immune system cells) from gamma radiation, acts as an anti-inflamatory, and protects against cancer.
• Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) supplements have been used to reduce tissue injury brought on by radiation treatments. Studies show it acts not only as an antioxidant, but also as an anti-inflammatory. It helps the body use the trace minerals zinc, copper, and manganese, which defend the mitochondria from free radical damage. Try Oxi-Key, which contains a full dosage of Superoxide Dismutase (5,500 units, 1-3 times per day), plus sulfur rich amino acids that open up the detox pathways to help the body excrete toxins and pollutants out of the body.
In the wake of disaster, there are ways to brace for the impact on your health.
