Protecting Our Health Against Radiation

Protecting Our Health Against Radiation


How to Protect against Radioactive Fallout



James M. Haig, NC



The tragic events in Japan have raised legitimate concerns in California about radioactive particles being carried here by the wind. Already, as I write this, there are reports of minor radioactive contamination being picked up around Los Angeles and Sacramento. One result of this is that there has been a rush on supplemental iodine, particularly in the form of potassium iodide, with most stores having already sold out.



There are several things to consider about this possible threat, and much that can be done to protect against it; but, after consulting with people who know a lot more than I do about this, the most important thing is:



Do NOT take 130 mg of potassium iodide unless instructed to do so by public health officials.



Regardless of your opinion of the reliability of information coming from government sources, there are four main reasons why NOT to take these doses at this time:



1. This is HUGE dose that is potentially toxic, especially to people with various thyroid or autoimmune conditions

2. Our situation does not warrant it at this time, and probably never will from this particular disaster

3. It is children, not adults, who are primarily at risk of thyroid cancer from radioactive iodine

4. Other radioactive isotopes probably pose much greater long-terms risks than radioactive iodine, and potassium iodide does NOT offer any protection against them.



That does not mean, however, that it is not prudent to eat seaweed (the main dietary source of iodine) or even take kelp tablets (unless you have an autoimmune condition, especially of the thyroid). But of equal or, probably, greater importance is to increase you consumption of antioxidants, both in food and supplemental form, to protect against any potential damage from radiation.



However, the 130 mg dose of potassium iodide mentioned on the CDC website (www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp) is a HUGE dose, only intended for people in

the immediate vicinity of a major nuclear incident. This dose, and a proportionally smaller dose for infants and children, is probably appropriate for people living within 50 miles or so of the nuclear reactors in Japan, but not for us.

Keep in mind that the average multivitamin formula contains 150 mcg of iodine, and there are 1,000 mcg (micrograms) to 1 mg (milligram). Therefore, 130 mg of iodine (or 130,000 mcg) is a lot of iodine—approximately 866 times higher than in

your multivitamin supplement—and far higher than anyone could ever possibly consume from food. The Japanese probably have the highest dietary iodine intake of any population in the world, variously estimated to be somewhere in the 5-15 mg a day range, something that will be serving them welll in the current crisis.



Iodine, like many other minerals (such as iron or selenium), is highly beneficial in small amounts (for example, it is essential for thyroid, breast and prostate health), but quite toxic in large doses. In the case of all-out nuclear contamination, the risks of taking such a dose would be outweighed by the benefit of protecting against thyroid cancer, but, for those of us at a distance from the disaster zone, the risks far outweigh any potential benefit. Side effects from high dose iodine intake include a harsh metallic taste in the mouth, nausea and other gastrointestinal upset, insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations, and even hyperthyroidism. Allergic reactions are also possible, and in rare case death can occur from anaphylactic shock. People with various thyroid conditions, including Grave’s and Hashimoto’s, or any other autoimmune conditions, may be at particular risk of serious outcomes. No one with any of these conditions should take high doses of iodine, in any form, without consulting their doctor. (The one possible exception in thyroid cases is people with primary hypothyroidism (absent thyroid nodules or autoimmune involvement), who can sometimes benefit from higher than normal doses of iodine (or its salt form, potassium iodide), in doses ranging up to as much as much as 15 mg a day; but this should only be undertaken with the supervision of a trained healthcare professional.)



Furthermore, adults are at low risk of thyroid cancer from radioactive iodine (I-131). It is mainly children who are at the highest risk, as was tragically seen following the Chernobyl nuclear incident.



I do, however, think it is prudent for those of us here in California to somewhat increase our dietary intake of iodine (more on this later), but radioactive iodine may be the least significant of the radioactive isotopes drifting our way, partly because it dissipates quickly, and partly because it has a short two-week half-life. Furthermore, iodine is only protective against radioactive iodine, not against any of these other isotopes.



Of more concern are some of these other isotopes, such as cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium, and something called MOX, some of which have extraordinarily long half-lives, and which, in addition to directly getting into our bodies, can get into the soil and make their way into the food chain. Contaminated milk was the main cause of secondary deaths following Chernobyl, something that tragically could have been prevented with more aggressive public health measures.



Given the distance California is from Japan, the risk to us from direct or indirect contamination is small, though real. So what can we do prudently to protect ourselves?



First, don’t panic! No one in California is about to drop dead from radiation exposure! Heightened anxiety may be a greater metabolic stressor than the small and heavily diluted amounts of radiation to which we might be exposed (remember, we are constantly exposed every day of our lives to small amounts of background radiation from natural and cosmic sources). That is not to say, however, that there is no cause for concern. Knowing how radiation does its damage is a key to understanding how best to protect ourselves.



Radiation causes damage by creating large amounts of free radicals, especially hydroxyl radicals, in the body. These in turn can cause significant damage to organs, cells and other tissues in the body, which, if unchecked, has the potential to lead to malignancies. So, by far the best way to counter potential radiation damage is to ensure adequate intake of antioxidants, both through the diet and by supplementation, as well as other compounds that protect against damage in various other ways.



The following lists are not exhaustive, but touch on the main foods, supplements, and other measures that offer the best known protection.



Iodine-Containing Foods



• Seafood and all seaweeds/sea vegetables (kelp, dulse, wakame, nori, arame, hiziki, etc.): kelp has the highest iodine content of all, with approximately 650 mcg per teaspoon of ground kelp (note that kombu (Laminaria japonica) is a common name for a particularly iodine-rich form of kelp); sea vegetables are also rich in alginate (agar is a culinary form of alginate, used as a thickener or gelling agent), a sticky soluble fiber that binds radioactive elements and other toxins, and helps excrete them from the body; sea vegetables can be used in soups, casseroles, or other cooked dishes, or in salads; don’t go overboard with them, due to their high iodine content, but consider using some daily

• Cranberries (4 ounces contain approximately 400 mcg of iodine; buy them frozen, and please avoid the sugar-soaked dried ones!) and strawberries

• Dairy products ( a cup of natural yogurt contains approximately 90 mcg)

• Beans (especially navy beans)

• Eggs



High-Antioxidant and Other Protective Foods



• Almost all fruits and vegetables, especially darkly colored ones (antioxidants are founds in the color pigments), such as dark leafy greens (including parsley), and red and purple berries

• Apples, due to their high pectin content, which, like alginate, binds radioactive elements and helps excrete them from the body

• Cruciferous vegetables (all kinds of cabbage, broccoli, Brussels’ sprouts, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, watercress, and, most especially, broccoli sprouts), all of which are loaded with sulforaphane and other cancer-protecting compounds

• Garlic and onions

• Vegetable juices (e.g. beet, celery, parsley, carrot, spinach and other leafy greens)

• Wheatgrass or barley grass juice

• Miso (if you are gluten intolerant, chose a miso made with rice, not barley)

• Mushrooms (shiitake being the most significant of the common culinary mushrooms)

• Burdock root

• Buckwheat (rich in rutin, a highly protective bioflavonoid)

• All culinary herbs (such as cilantro, basil or thyme) and spices (such as ginger and cloves), which are all loaded with antioxidant compounds; use them liberally and frequently



Nutritional Supplements



• Just about all good quality nutritional supplements (e.g. mixed carotenes, B-vitamins, etc.) will offer some protection to the body (so a good quality multivitamin is recommended), but the primary ones are listed below

• All common antioxidants, such as Vitamins C, E, and selenium, all of which will be in your multivitamin supplements (selenium should not be taken in excess of 400-600 mcg a day); extra C would be a good idea, up to 5,000 mg a day (depending on bowel tolerance), in divided doses; Vitamin C is best when combined with bioflavonoids (e.g. hesperidin and rutin), compounds with which it is always found in nature and which work synergistically with it (such as found in Vitamin C-400 or Bio C II)

• Lipoic acid: perhaps the most broad-acting antioxidant, protecting both fat- and water-soluble tissues in the body, as well as helping support the body’ own production of glutathione, our primary in-house antioxidant; 300 mg twice a day would be ideal (for those of you already taking Metabolic Synergy, this is the amount found in your daily dose)

• NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine): works similarly to Lipoic Acid, but is especially recommended for people with bronchial weakness (600-1800 mg a day)

• Del-Immune: a powerful immune enhancing agent based on an earlier Russian prototype originally developed to protect against biological warfare agents (such as anthrax), and successfully used after Chernobyl to protect against radiation (4-6 capsules a day)

• Immune Assist, or another high-quality medicinal mushroom formula (such as Ten Mushroom Formula or Host Defense): medicinal mushrooms like reishi, shiitake and maitake are very high in various forms of beta-glucan, a compound studied by the US army for its protective effect against radiation (3-6 capsules a day), while Cordyceps helps to increase levels of glutathione, out body’s primary antioxidant; alternately, Beta-Glucan can be taken by itself (500-1,000 mg a day)

• Melatonin: though best known as a sleep aid, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant with well-researched anti-cancer properties, that saturates all the tissues of the body (take up to 3 mg, but only before bed, as it will probably make you sleepy)

• There are many other supplements and herbs that can be helpful, including Kelp tablets (do NOT exceed the recommended dose), Modifilan (a proprietary red algae product with proven anti-radiation effects), Chlorella, Spirulina, Lecithin (which helps protect cell membranes), Whey Powder (Whey Cool or other high-quality whey powders, which raise glutathione levels), Resveratrol, Grape Seed Extract, Green Tea Extract, Garlic, Aloe Vera, Panax Ginseng and Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero), and Bentonite or French Clay (which can be taken internally, as directed, as well as used in hot baths)

• Finally, I do recommend keeping some Potassium Iodide on hand, in case of future nuclear incidents that happen closer to home; but, once again, I do not recommend high doses at this time



Other Measures



• Drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses a day for a 150 lb person): water is essential for detoxification, and to help flush toxins from the body; if possible, select filtered or spring water, as tap water is typically contaminated with chlorine and fluoride, themselves toxins that the liver and kidneys have to struggle to remove; herb teas and vegetable juices count towards your water intake, but tea, coffee, other caffeinated beverages, or alcohol do not, as they all have a net dehydrating effect

• Hot baths are very helpful in removing toxins, including radioactive ones, from the body; add 1 lb or more of baking soda (not baking powder) or sea salt to a hot bath; optionally, you can also add bentonite or French clay, well-known for their drawing power; make the bath as hot as you can reasonably bear it, and stay in it until the water has cooled (usually 15-20 minutes); do not take a shower afterwards, as this can undermine its effects; do not take a hot bath before driving, as it tends to make you sleepy; best done before bed