Natural Ways To
Protect Yourself
From Radiation
The nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan has triggered fears about radioactivity and its impact on your health. This article addresses radiation concerns by detailing what you can do to protect yourself in a natural way from radiation exposure.
First, while the radiation atmospheric drift from Japan to the US is real, though relatively small, no one really knows for sure the long-term effects of such “minimal” exposure. So here is what can you do to protect ourself in a natural way:
- Imported Food
Avoid all foods grown or raised in or near any fallout zone (e.g. fish recently imported from Japan). Dairy and spinach grown near the Japanese reactors have seen vast elevations in radioactivity. - Sea Greens
Introduce simple sea greens into your diet, such as seaweed, kelp, blue-green algae, spirulina, and chlorella. These contain rich minerals, including iodine, and bind the receptors site in your thyroid so that any radioactive iodine that you are exposed to will not harm your thyroid. These foods also contain antioxidants, like selenium, to prevent destructive free radical activity and cancerous growths, as well as chelating agents to bind to toxins and eliminate them. - Land Greens
Wheatgrass, barley grass,buckwheat, sunflower and pea sprouts will similarly help. - Anti-oxidant Foods
Eat antioxidant-rich foods of every color, especially cherries, blueberries, pomegranates, yams, and sweet potatoes. The variety of antioxidants found in these foods help your body to mop up free radicals and toxins. - Plenty of Water
Drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of filtered water daily to to flush your body. - Supplements
Take vitamin C, E, and D to assist antioxidant actions. Also, alpha lipoic acid is a nutrient that protects cells from radiation damage. - Herbs
Include dandelion, peppermint, and chrysanthemum in herbal concotions to help detoxify. Laboratory studies have found that rosemary protects cells from damage when they are exposed to ionizing radiation. (British Journal of Radiology, February 2, 2009) It prevents damage to the cells and rids the body of free radicals. Pair with some dandelion greens, it helps clear away toxins and protect the liver. Gingko extracts further was shown in studies to also protect from radiation damage.1 - Spices
Turmeric (curcumin) has cancer-fighting properties and seems to protect against radiation as well, as one animal study found it reduced skin damage from radiation treatments.2
Further topics highlighted
- Buckwheat
Studies have found that buckwheat is particularly high in a flavonoid called “rutin” that is developed in the plant to protect it from daily exposure to UV radiation (from the sun). This protective ability is transferred to the body when you eat it, helping shield your cells from harmful free radicals created by radiation exposure. - Seaweed
Nuclear reactors produce radioactive iodine from uranium. The thyroid gland uses a lot of iodine to create hormones for the body. Therefore, people exposed to nuclear radiation have a higher risk of thyroid cancer, as the thyroid takes up the radioactive iodine, which damages cells. - Iodine Pills?
Does taking iodine pills help protect your thyroid from radiation exposure? The thinking is if you take the iodine pills, your thyroid will absorb and use the safe iodine rather than the radioactive. But iodine tablets can have side effects like an upset stomach, dizziness, muscle aches, and much more. Fortunately, things like kelp, spirulina, sea lettuce, and brown algae are all naturally high in iodine and are the more natural substitute.
Sources
- Inderscience Publishers (2009, October 26). Herbal Tonic For Radiotherapy? Gingko Biloba Tree May Protect Cells From Radiation Damage. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 23, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/10/091019122956.htm
- Common Spice May Protect Skin During Radiation Therapy for Cancer. University of Rochester Medical Center. News Release. October 07, 2002. http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=125.
