Note: I just feel it necessary to post this article from March of this year. I haven't heard any of the news channels discussing the effects of this last breakdown of Reactor 4 at the Fukushima plant. I am concerned about the crazy weather we are experiencing here in California. Powerful and destructive winds, some were out of power and lost food and services, then we have these cold blasts with hail, severe lightening and thunderstorms, funnel spouts, and the like. Not typical for this area of California. Just wonder if the radiated jet streams from Japan which travel to the west coast could have something to do with it.
The entire world is watching in
horror as events continue to spin out of control in Japan. The country remains
in a state of emergency after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck and
appears to be facing what could potentially be the worst nuclear crisis in
human history. All eyes and ears are now focused on the very real threat of
radiation poisoning traveling around the globe. As events at the Fukushima
nuclear plant escalate dramatically by the hour, people all over the world are
scrambling for potassium iodide tablets and sea vegetables to protect
themselves in case the radiation particles come their way.
Yet, in our everyday lives we seem
oblivious to the impact of radiation on our health. Many of us are swept up in
the euphoria over an endless parade of wireless devices. We actually seem
addicted to radiation and completely unconscious of the jack-hammering effect
it has on human cells.
Today 285 million Americans have
mobile phones and 83 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds are “wired” all the time
and sleep with their cell phones next to their heads.
Mounting scientific evidence
suggests that non-thermal radio frequency radiation (RF)—the invisible energy
waves that connect cell phones to cell towers and power numerous other everyday
items—can damage our immune systems and alter our cellular makeup and
eventually lead to cancer, even at intensities considered safe by the FCC.
It has been know for a decade that
RF/microwaves from cell phones and tower transmitters cause damage in human
blood cells that results in nuclei splintering off into micronuclei fragments.
The development of micronuclei heralds the development of pre-cancerous
conditions. Many victims of Chernobyl developed blood cell micronuclei that
rapidly turned into full blown cancers.
Numerous animal studies have
demonstrated that mobile phone radiation quickly causes DNA single and double
strand breaks at levels well below the current federal “safe” standards. A
six-year industry study showed that human blood exposure to cell phone radiation
had a 300 percent increase in genetic damage in the form of micronuclei.
In addition, industrial activities,
mining, and nuclear power activities all release relatively large amounts of
usually unseen toxic metals into our air, water, and our food crops on a daily
basis.
Radioactive medical wastes are
increasingly a source of radioactive metal poisoning and we are exposed to
radioactive isotopes released into the air by way of gaseous emissions as well
as radioactive substances released into cooling water from nuclear facilities
around the world.
A huge pile of research has
confirmed that non-ionizing communications radiation in the RF/microwave
spectrum has the same effect on human health as ionizing gamma wave radiation
from nuclear reactions. Injuries resulting from radioactive radiation are
identical with the effects of electromagnetic radiation. In the U.S., deadly
high frequency radiation is now blasting from tens of thousands of cell towers
and rooftop antennas all over the country. What all this means is that you
don’t need to wonder if the radiation from the Japanese catastrophe is going to
reach us. It’s already here from numerous ongoing sources.
So in light of these combined
threats from radiation poisoning we all face on a daily basis, I‘d like to
share with you some proven ways we can protect ourselves and our health and
detoxify our bodies.
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 in
Spain reported 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.
So, how can we use rosemary to
protect ourselves from radiation damage? I’d suggest taking 30 drops of
rosemary tincture once to three times daily in a bit of water, depending on
your level of exposure. Rosemary infused oil, applied to the skin will also be
effective. Use dried rosemary often in your cooking, and drink rosemary teas
and infusions.
Foods containing Caffeic Acid
– In a study done in India, and published in the 2008 Journal of Biochemical
and Molecular Toxicology scientists investigated the radio-protective
potential of caffeic acid against gamma radiation-induced cellular changes.
Lymphocytes were pre-incubated with caffeic acid and controls were not. All the
lymphocytes were exposed to different doses of radiation and then genetic
damage and biochemical changes were measured. Gamma irradiated control
lymphocytes showed a radiation dose-dependent increase in genetic damage and a
significant decrease in antioxidant status. Caffeic acid pretreated lymphocytes
positively modulated all radiation induced changes. There was no damage caused
to the cells whatsoever.
So which foods and herbs contain
caffeic acid? Apples (An apple a day…I love the way these “old
wives tales” continue to reveal their truths over the eons.) all citrus
fruits, and the entire Brassicaceae family of plants, which contain
vegetables such as broccoli, mustard, cabbage and cauliflower.
You might consider that a daily bowl
of any of the following greens or roots is indispensable for ensuring your good
health and protection from all forms of radiation: radish, turnips,
shepherd’s purse, bok choi, napa, Chinese cabbage, broccoli rabe, kohlrabi,
mustard greens, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and
cress.
Members of the Brassica family offer
uniquely important health-promoting properties. In addition to the wide array
of necessary vitamins and minerals they provide, Brassica vegetables also
contain a number of especially potent health enhancing and protective
phytonutrients.
For instance, certain compounds in
these vegetables known as glucosinolates reduce the potential of carcinogens
through their ability to stimulate liver detoxification enzymes. These
phytonutrients inhibit enzymes that normally activate carcinogens and induce
other enzymes that help to dismantle active carcinogens.
All the vegetables in this family
are sulphur rich – they contain Sulforaphane, which is actually formed when
these vegetables are chopped or chewed. It, too, is known to trigger the liver
to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals.
Remember that most of these
bioactive compounds are water-soluble; during heating they leach into the
cooking water. Because of this, it is recommended to cook these vegetables in
the minimum amount of water (as in steaming) in order to retain their
nutritional benefits and drink the liquid.
Seaweeds – Phaeophyceae
Brown Algae such as the Laminaria
and Saccharina, Fucus, Sargassum muticum.
Regular seaweed consumption should
be a part of our daily diet and especially noted for their radiation protective
qualities are wakame, kelps and bladderwrack.
The negative health effects of
radiation poisons can be prevented or suppressed by regular consumption of
algin-rich brown seaweeds which slow the bioaccumulation of neurotoxic metals.
Shep Erhart, who runs the Maine
Seaweed Company in Franklin, Maine, has been eating, harvesting, working
with and enjoying seaweeds for the past thirty years. He taught me that sea
vegetables contain the broadest range of minerals of any food – the same
minerals found in the ocean and in human blood, such as potassium, calcium,
magnesium, iron, and iodine.
A few summers ago Shep took me and a
small group of apprentices to one of his favorite seaweed gathering spots on
the coast of Maine. One of the seaweeds we found in abundance on that day was Luminaria
longicruris, or kelp, a beautiful brown seaweed that grows 4 to 8-foot-long
broad golden fronds.
Kelp offers exceedingly high amounts
of these minerals, and is an unparalleled source of other essential trace
nutrients, particularly iodine. “Our cells and those of seaweed are both bathed
in a similar ocean of dissolved mineral matter. The ratio of sodium to
potassium is nearly the same in blood and saltwater.” Shep said.
Kelp has been found to have a
normalizing action on the thyroid and parathyroid glands, which are especially
vulnerable to absorbing radioactive poisons from the environment. A healthy,
functioning parathyroid gland means you can absorb all those minerals to your
best advantage.
Numerous researchers have discovered
kelp’s ability to bind with radioactive isotopes in the body, thus allowing
them to be safely excreted. Consuming kelp regularly will offer protection to
the cells in your body during and after radiation treatments, after any routine
x-rays and most notably during and after any kind of radiation poisoning.
Studies also suggest that kelp has a
positive effect on the balance of healthy flora in the intestinal tract,
actively destroys cancer cells, and stimulates T-cell production in our immune
systems. All sea vegetables are strongly immune enhancing.
Kelp is a versatile seaweed and
there are many ways to integrate its use into the daily diet. It is superb when
lightly toasted or fried; it can be pickled in brine or simmered in soups; it’s
great sautéed; and it’s indispensable in bean dishes, as it helps to tenderize
beans, shortens the cooking time and aids in digestion.
You don’t even have to eat it to
benefit from its radiation protective and health nourishing properties…just
soak in a seaweed bath. The sea greens help to balance body and skin chemistry.
Electrolytic magnetic action of the seaweeds releases excess body fluid from
congested cells and dissolves fatty wastes through the skin, replacing them
with depleted minerals, particularly potassium and iodine. The vitamin K in sea
vegetables helps regulate adrenal function, thus a regular seaweed bath or rub
helps ensure well balanced hormones and a more youthful physical appearance, in
addition to offering its radiation protective benefits. The mucilaginous fiber
in seaweed helps to prevent the reabsorbing of radioactive strontium 90.
“Following the bombing of Nagasaki,
a group of surviving macrobiotic doctors and their patients avoided radiation
sickness simply by eating brown rice, miso and seaweed.
Another excellent source of high
quality seaweeds can be obtained from Larch Hanson in Stueben, Maine. Larch
gathers his seaweeds from pristine places along the coast of Maine as well.
Adaptogens – those all important natural substances that help the body
adapt to stress. In order to meet the criteria as defined by the word
adaptogen, a substance must be non-toxic, produce a nonspecific response in the
body which boosts the ability to resist multiple stressors, and exert a
normalizing influence on physiology. By definition, adaptogens strengthen the
immune, nervous and glandular system, increase metabolic efficiency and reduce
susceptibility to illness and disease.
Many of these substances have a
history of use that extends for hundreds and thousands of years and a huge body
of experience has been accumulated and recorded regarding their therapeutic
application. Three of my favorites are reishi mushrooms, American ginseng
and Baltic amber. You can rely on all three of these substances to offer
you protection from radiation poisoning.
Baltic amber – In my experience natural Baltic amber is one of the most
indispensible, as well as perhaps the most universally applicable, of the known
adaptogens. Warming, stimulating, aromatic, bitter, it is both a potent
medicine and an amazingly protective substance and has been revered as such for
millennia.
Baltic Amber is proven to act as a
shield, providing protection from harmful radiation emitted from computers,
cell phones and wireless devices, microwave ovens, electrical appliances as
well as radiation emitted from industrial accidents.
In fact, the succinic acid
found in the amber cortex, or outer layer of the stone, is employed by European
scientists and military doctors to bolster the body’s immunity to radiation
from industrial accidents. It is touted in Russia and other European countries
for its and cell rejuvenating properties and is commonly used in anti-aging
formulations and to aid recovery of cancer patients after undergoing
conventional medical treatment. It has been shown to strengthen immunity to
ionizing radiation, infections, alcohol and other toxins.
Though not especially well known and
rarely spoken or written about in American herb culture, Baltic amber actually
has a long and illustrious history of medicinal use in China, India, the Middle
East and all of Europe, from the northern Boreal forests to the Mediterranean
Sea many people are not only well aware of, but also make regular use of, the
vitality boosting and energetically protective qualities.
What is Baltic Amber? Baltic amber
is a fossilized resin produced by coniferous trees from the Pinaceae family
which grew in Northern Europe around the Baltic Sea 40 million to 200 million
years ago.
As atmospheric change occurred and
the climate warmed, the conifer trees began exuding large amounts of resin in
an effort to adapt to the changing earth environment. As the millennia
progressed, these exudations sank to the Baltic Sea floor and gradually, over
the eons, became stable through oxidation, the action of micro-organisms and
other processes.
Extensively traded since remote
antiquity, natural Baltic amber was worn as a protective amulet by the ancient
Nordic and Scandinavian peoples, as well as by the Celts, the ancient peoples
of the Mediterranean: the Phoenicians, Greeks and Etruscans, the Arabs, Egyptians
and the Chinese, all of whom knew and used Baltic amber (succinite) many
centuries before the Common Era.
Baltic amber’s considerable
electrostatic properties are an essential part of its health boosting
abilities. This substance has long been respected as a natural ionizer; it
possesses the ability to produce negative ions, known to help to ease pain,
boost over-all immunity and stimulate the healing process.
Negative Ions and our Health – Extensive research has shown that our good health is in large
part dependent on the amount and quality of the negative ions in the air around
us and in our bodies.
The human body consists of billions
of cells, each enclosed by a membrane. This cell membrane performs many
important roles, such as the absorption of nutrients and elimination of waste.
The function of the entire cell and its membrane is enhanced when there are
enough negative ions within and outside the cell. This electrical material
exchange revitalizes cell metabolism so that optimum nourishment is absorbed
and waste material is eliminated efficiently.
According to results of research on
negative ions conducted at the Nanzandoh Medical Clinic in Japan, negative ions
help speed recovery from illness, slow the aging processes and offer protection
from the harmful effects of environmental stressors such as electromagnetic
fields and radiation.
And, while this negative ion
producing property of Baltic amber’s is nothing short of amazing, it’s not by
any means the only thing responsible for its potent healing effects. There’s
more!
Succinic acid – Baltic amber has high concentrations of a unique
substance known as succinic acid, and with from 3% to 8% succinic acid by
weight, is one of the most important natural sources of succinic acid in the
world.
It has long been believed that by
wearing raw or polished natural Baltic amber against the skin, a “homeopathic
dose” of succinic acid is absorbed into the body, enough to exert its
analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immune enhancing, protective and vitality boosting
influence.
Since the thyroid gland is very
susceptible to absorbing radiation poisoning, wearing an Baltic amber necklace
or pendant over or near this gland is especially important. I am never without
mine. You’ll find more about the many uses and benefits of Baltic amber in
another post on this blog.
Potassium iodide – The US government, military, hospitals, etc. stock Potassium
Iodide, which is the ingredient added to your table salt to make it iodized
salt, in case of a nuclear accident. They suggest that to protect against the
negative health effects of nuclear radiation exposure, this substance be taken
orally in very small quantities 1/2 hour to 1 day before radioactive iodines
are swallowed or inhaled. According to reports doing so will prevent
approximately 99% of the damage that would otherwise occur to the thyroid
gland. Potassium iodide blocks the thyroid gland’s uptake of radioactive iodine
and thus could help prevent thyroid cancers and other diseases that might be
caused by exposure to airborne radioactive iodine dispersed in a nuclear
accident.
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. Food sources of potassium include 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.
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 Panax quinqeufolius,
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.
Buckwheat is high in rutin and helps to protect against
radiation and also stimulates new bone marrow production.
Research on animals indicates that curcumin,
an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in turmeric, may help
protect against radiation-induced damage to the skin.
Other research has shown that Ginkgo
biloba may act as a shield against organ damage resulting from radiation
therapy.
Aloe vera is a natural remedy for radiation-induced skin changes,
preventing or minimizing radiation-induced skin reactions.
Immune modulating 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. I prefer consuming my medicinal mushrooms in a water base, often
decocting them and then adding half of the volume in raw honey, turning it into
an optimally absorbed food/medicine. A tablespoon or so of a well made syrup of
any of these mushrooms taken once or twice daily, or simply adding these
mushrooms to any soups you make, will provide a great deal of reliable
protection.
Reishi – Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma applanatum
In addition to its ability to protect us from radiation poisoning, Reishi has
long been believed by the Chinese to protect the Spirit and to nurture the
growth of intelligence, wisdom and spiritual insight. These are qualities we
all need living in the modern day world and facing disasters that appear to be
occurring ever more frequently. Reishi is a superb anti-stress herb and its
effects seem to be cumulative, gradually strengthening the nerves and actually
changing how we perceive life. It is routinely used by mountain hermits, monks,
adepts and spiritual seekers throughout Asia because it is believed to help
calm the mind, ease tension, strengthen the nerves, improve memory, sharpen
concentration and focus, build will power and, as a result, help to develop
wisdom. Reishi helps to improve the quality of life by improving the inner life
of a human being.
Use reishi mushrooms on a daily
basis to assist in developing wisdom, to deepen your connection to our great,
abundant and oh, so precious planet…and then take it upon yourself to share
your growing wisdom in whatever means you have available, for the benefit and
healing of all peoples, plants and animals and for our Mother Earth herself.
Source: http://gailfaithedwards.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/natural-substances-to-protect-ourselves-from-radiation/
