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Radiation Hormesis

8/14/2011

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As the co-author (with Jay Gutierrez) of a recent book, Because People Are Dying, on the healing technology of radiation hormesis – the use of low-level radiation to strength the immune system and heal diseases — I felt I should give out as much credible information as I can about the disaster that is unfolding in Japan, and what that may mean to both the Japanese and to those of us who are safely tucked away in or own homes, watching with sympathy and tears of grief for all those who are suffering.

Over the last few days, I have been deluged with emails about what steps we should take to prevent our own radiation poisoning. I want to make a couple of initial points in this Musings: 1) all the ideas about what we should be taking to protect ourselves are good ideas. I will go over one of them — the one that is suggested most frequently and 2) these ideas are good not because we need protection from radiation poisoning but because they were good ideas even before the Japan disaster began. And finally, 3) I pose the question of whether there is a significant danger of radioactive poisoning.

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The suggestion for radiation protection made most often is that we start taking potassium iodide immediately. I understand there has been a run on the stock of potassium iodide in the country.The potassium protects against radioactive cesium. Iodide is a form of iodine. Iodine is essential for your thyroid and several other tissues and organs. Your thyroid needs it most and, thus, it concentrates most heavily there. If you’re deficient, as most Americans are, your thyroid will pick up any iodine that your body finds, including radioactive iodine, which can poison your thyroid. Iodide protects your thyroid against radioactive iodine.

While it is true that potassium iodide gives some protection against radiation, it is likely that if there is high radiation, it won’t do the trick well enough. You need enough potassium in your body to prevent absorption of radioactive cesium, and, again, as most of us are deficient in iodine, similarly, most of us are deficient in potassium. There’s simply not enough potassium in any formula of potassium iodide to protect against radioactive cesium.

Further, and most importantly, you need to protect a lot more than your thyroid from radiation. The potassium iodide will give insufficient protection to other organs.
Yet, supplementing our diet with iodine is almost always a good idea. The Japanese, actually, are in good shape with this. They regularly take iodine – in the form of seaweed and algae – which are staples in their diet. At least partially because of the large amounts of iodine in their diet, Japanese women, until recently, have had the lowest breast cancer rate in the world. Iodine induces apoptosis, programmed cell death. This process is essential to growth and development (fingers form in the fetus by apoptosis of the tissue between them). But iodine is also good for destroying cells that represent a threat to the integrity of the organism, like cancer cells and cells infected with viruses. Iodine  also removes toxic chemicals – fluoride, bromide, lead, aluminum, mercury – and biological toxins; it suppresses auto-immunity, strengthens the T-cell adaptive immune system, and protects against abnormal growth of bacteria in the stomach. Click here to understand more about iodine.

The product I take, and was taking long before the Japanese radiation  threat, is Iodoral, which provides the body with both iodine and potassium iodide. One capsule a day is all you need for general protection. If there is a radiation threat, simply double that amount. So, by all means, take Iodoral. And keep taking it, even after the threat of this disaster has passed.

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But on to the most important question: is there a danger of our being radiologically poisoned. The experts disagree on this; I have read widely divergent opinions. What I am clear about, however, is what I learned from my previous explorations into the phenomenon of radiation hormesis. As long as the level of radiation exposure remains “low” (as it is currently), not only is there no danger, but there might even be some benefits accrued.

Most of us have a knee-jerk reaction to the word radiation. If we think it is near us, we want to flee for our lives. A deep fear has developed in our country about all things radioactive. The fear stems from the common belief that any dose of radiation increases the likelihood of two dreaded diseases: cancer and congenital malformations.

It was out of this concern that a MIT professor wrote an email to his family in Japan immediately after the reactors first failed to reassure them that the likelihood was that they would be safe from being over-exposed to radioactive material. Much to the surprise of the professor, the email went viral. The email is technical and very compelling – and states all the difficult-to-understand reasons why the threat for radioactive poisoning is not as great as people fear. Following that initial email, a group of MIT nuclear scientists have banded together to make commentary on the on-going situation in Japan – and they are giving up-dates as they are able to gather reliable information.  Their website is:  http://mitnse.com/. You can see there the original email by Josef Oehmen ”Why I am not worried about Japan’s nuclear reactors,” as well as the group’s subsequent commentaries.

Similarly, Rod Adams, who has also had extensive experience in the nuclear field, has been blogging, giving his ideas of why the situation may be able to be stabilized. He also discusses the differences between Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and the situation in Japan. He’s worth reading:

For Adams’ blog, click.

Finally, popular theoretical physicist Michio Kaku’s websitecontains his blog with a recent posting (today) on the dangers of the on-going situation in Japan.

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With all the concern about the potential danger of radioactive poisoning from the Japanese damaged reactors, it is important for us to not lose sight of the therapeutic benefits of low-level radiation. In my research on radiation hormesis, I read many research papers and I spoke to some of the leading nuclear experts in the country. The evidence is clear: as we are deficient in iodine, we are similarly deficient in radiation. As Ted Rockwell, eminent nuclear engineer, said in a recent blog in response to what is happening in Japan and the fear stimulated:

“…Life evolved on, and adapted to, a much more radioactive planet. Our current natural radiation levels – worldwide – are below optimum. Statements that there is no safe level of radiation are an affront to science and to common sense.”

Thus, according to Rockwell, and many other eminent scientists, it seems that we are deficient – not only in iodine and potassium, but we need more of the unlikely material of radiation, as well.

Rockwell continues in his article, Fukushima: It’s Not About Radiation; It’s About Tsunamis, explaining that the radiation dose that the Japanese people have been exposed to, thus far, is still insignificant in terms of a health issue.

Worldwide, the average radiation exposure is about 360 millirems per year. Scientists agree that humans can safely handle 1,000 a year. Different places on earth have different exposure rates (as we will see in a moment), and some go much higher than the average with not only no perceptible ill effects, but, in fact, these fortunate inhabitants actually enjoy better health.

There is a wealth of medical and scientific research on exposure to radiation documenting the hormesis effect: high-dose radiation kills by destroying tissue (all medical use of radiation, including x-rays is high dosage); but low-dose radiation stimulates. Specifically the immune system reacts in a positive fashion to low-dose exposure, and creates a healing response in the organism. Researcher T.D. (Don) Lucky has spent a lifetime documenting the effects of radiation hormesis: according to his, and over 3000 other medical studies, exposure to low-dose radiation results in anti-aging effects, increased fertility, mental acuity, cancer suppression, improvement of immune function, promotion of healthy growth and an increase of defense against disease.

Listen to my interview with Don Lucky.

And, to my interview with Ted Rockwell on radiation hormesis.

Of the over 3000 studies on radiation hormesis, three environmentally- induced radioactive situations are particularly compelling.

First, there is incidence of cancers induced by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There were, as we now know should have been expected, large numbers of people near the bombs who subsequently developed radiologically-induced cancers. It is also true, however, that there were large numbers of people who did not develop radiologically-induced cancers. The size of this latter group has been a surprise to most scientists. Findings of several studies show that when exposure to radiation was at points distant from the blasts, radiation absorption was minimal, and leukemia deaths among these A-bomb survivors was below normal. But, this is where the data get interesting: minimally exposed survivors haven’t just not died of leukemia or other cancers; they haven’t been dying for any reason. They’re healthier than the Japanese population who lived far away from the blast and received no exposure. Dr. Sohei Kondo, in 1993, published Health Effects of Low-Level Radiation, in which he reported findings of a significantly lower death rate for those who had been exposed to low levels of the radiation fall-out than for those who had no exposure at all. As well, no adverse genetic effects in the progeny of the minimally exposed population have been detected during sixty years of study.

To put radiation exposure dosage from the bombs in contemporary perspective, according to Christopher Windham, it is now understood that the radiation dose from a full-body medical scan today can be almost as high as the dose received by some of the survivors of the bomb.

The Japanese know, as well as any peoples, the effects of radiation, for obvious reasons. But they also know about the beneficial effects of radiation hormesis. Before the recent disaster, there were at least six popular spas in Japan where people went for radiation hormesis therapy. Water bubbling up from deep within the earth  carried levels of radiation that eased pain, and promoted health. Not only do the spas offer radioactive hot baths, they also paint the walls with radioactive paint.

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The Cheapest, Fastest, Easiest Way to Detoxify the Whole Body, Look Younger and Be Healthier

8/8/2011

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Some years back I heard Bernard Jensen, one of our country's great nutritionists and author of over 50 books, tell the story of Samson, "the Saxon Giant." Samson was a weight lifter and wrestler who was brought to the United States by Florenz Zeigfield in the 1920's as one of the featured acts in the Zeigfield Follies. Besides his strength, Samson was also known for his baby-soft skin, a feature that Samson attributed to his daily regimen of dry skin-brushing, and a fact that greatly intrigued Jensen.

One year, so the story went that Jensen told, Samson lost the world's championship heavyweight weight-lifting contest by just 10 ounces. Jensen was able to find and examine Samson's diaries, and found that Samson had a novel theory explaining his defeat. Samson attributed his loss to the fact that he had neglected to dry-brush his skin for three weeks prior to the contest.

Jensen decided to do a little experiment of his own to see why Samson would have reached such an unusual conclusion. Jensen bought a skin brush and stood on brown wrapping paper while he brushed his own body. After enough debris had fallen onto the paper, Jensen sent the material to a lab. The lab found a lot of dead skin, which, of course, was expected. But the lab also found dried catarrh, urea, sodium chloride, sebum and metabolic acid wastes. From his little experiment, Jensen came to understand that when these substances are not removed from the skin, they can become backed up in the muscle structure, and can consequently cause a loss of vitality. Jensen became a great advocate for daily dry-skin brushing.

One of the most wonderful things about our bodies is that its largest organ - the skin -- is on its outside. We can, and do, automatically and continuously both nourish and detoxify our bodies through the skin.

The ability of the skin to accept substances and deliver them to the bloodstream is well-known. The skin serves as a direct link to all the other organs. Contemporary physicians have revived the age-old practice of delivering medicine through the skin. Heart patients use nitroglycerin patches; cigarette smokers try to break their addiction through the use of nicotine patches. So great, in fact, is the ability of the skin to absorb substances that one drop of essential oil placed on the fingertip will show up in hair analysis ten minutes later.

The skin's ability to excrete toxins, however, is not as well emphasized. In natural health circles, the skin is referred to as the body's third lung, or third kidney. It aids tremendously in throwing off all toxins from the body. We absorb more impurities, and eliminate more waste through the skin than any other organ in our bodies (including the colon). Two pounds of waste are eliminated every day through the skin.  The skin works hand in hand with the kidneys. On hot days, we do a lot of our elimination through our skin, and our kidneys don't have to work as hard. Conversely, on cold days, our kidneys take over this function of the skin because the skin is not eliminating as much.

The body organizes itself, in part, through a continuous dance of creating new while simultaneously shedding old, and it does this process especially efficiently with skin cells.

The skin is often the first place that biological imbalance appears. When the other systems are overloaded in dealing with too many toxins, the skin is utilized as an additional organ of detoxification. Sometimes old cells can cling to the surface of the skin, trapping pathogenic microorganisms like bacteria within; as well new cells are inhibited from breathing. Eruptions, blemishes, odors and colors may appear as the skin tries to do overtime in ridding the body of waste.

Skin brushing is especially useful for lymphatic cleansing. Cleansing the lymphatic system is essential because the lymph glands serve as one of the body's primary defense mechanisms. The lymphatic system cleanses out cellular debris that the bloodstream has not been able to take care of, such as viruses, bacteria and dust.

The lymphatic system is like the circulatory system: it moves a fluid -- which makes up about 80% of total body fluids -- throughout the body. This lymphatic fluid picks up debris as it moves along its path. Normally, excess lymphatic fluid is excreted through the skin, the kidneys and other eliminative organs.

Unlike the circulatory system which has a pump -- the heart -- to keep the fluid moving, the lymphatic system has nothing to keep the fluid moving other than your own movement. When there is toxicity from improper diet or elimination, clothing worn too tightly, or not enough exercise, the lymphatic fluid gets blocked.  

Improper lymphatic drainage is one of the main reasons that so many women are plagued with cellulite. The dimples that form on the thighs and buttocks are due to the accumulation of fats, proteins and other waste products that are not being excreted from the body efficiently. These unwanted products are usually carried out of the body by the lymphatic system. Dry skin brushing helps to kick-start the lymphatic system by stimulating the lymph canals, which helps detoxify the blood and reduces the toxic build up that causes cellulite.

Jensen himself was testimony to his own theory. When he was 88, he appeared at a conference I was attending. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and pulled up his pants legs, showing us the skin on his arms and legs. There was not a single wrinkle, line or blemish anywhere on this man's body that we could see. Jensen, like Samson, attributed the beauty of his skin - its tautness, smoothness and elasticity -- to his daily regimen of skin brushing.

Real Chemotherapy Cancer Statistics
Getting a cancer diagnosis is a terrible and scary thing. It is an easy time to panic. But before making any decisions about a course of action, you should know the facts - in order to make what my mentor Ruth Sackman called an "informed decision."

A study completed in 2004 by Australian researchers looked at 73,000 cancer cases in Australia and 155,000 cancer cases in the U.S. Their findings were that chemotherapy improved the 5-year cancer survival rate (the medical definition of "cure") by an average of 2%.

The actual percentages are even lower for common cancers because two cancers have a much higher rate of success from chemo. Hodgkin's Disease has a 40.3% improvement rate; testicular cancer has a 37.7% improvement rate. These two rarer cancers raise the average. The most common cancers reflect a much lower success rate: breast cancer 1.4%; prostate cancer 0.0%; lung cancer 2.0%; and colon cancer 1.0%. This reflects a 98% failure rate for the most common treatment of cancer.

This study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (2004: 16:549-560).

A Novel Way of Using Radiation to Solve the Energy Crisis
My book, Because People Are Dying, details the therapeutic application of low-level radiation, called radiation hormesis, for which there have been over 3000 studies. For 10 years now, Jay Gutierrez has been diligently and successfully treating all manner of bodily afflictions using stones that he personally mines. Now, researchers have postulated using radioactive decay in yet another novel and interesting way.

Below the surface of our earth, 44 trillion watts of power are generated from the earth's crust and mantle - roughly three times what we currently use worldwide. Half of this energy stems from the continual decay of the radioactive isotopes of uranium, thorium, and potassium. It's a lot of heat we're talking about. As devastating as earthquakes and volcanoes are to human life, they serve an important and necessary function in terms of balancing our planet - much like the function that fever serves in the human body. These natural radioactive decay phenomena are how the earth vents and controls its heat output.

The energy from this natural process of decay (an actual planet-saving process) could be used as an energy source to meet the entire world's energy needs (plus more). We could disband all the nuclear power plants in the world (which don't do so well with tsunamis). Unlike with the nuclear plants -- and the bombs for that matter -- we wouldn't be creating radioactive energy; rather we would be harnessing that which already exists. All that needs to happen is for scientists to devise a method for collecting and harnessing this natural and abundant, never-ending energy.

Stats on Who's Going to Get Alzheimer's
Worldwide Alzheimer's rates are expected to triple over the next 40 years.  But a new study by the Mayo Clinic gives hope for slowing down that coming epidemic. The study has found determined risk factors that contribute to the diseases. The single biggest risk factor is physical inactivity, which is linked to 21% of the U.S. cases. Depression accounts for 15%; smoking for 11%. Globally, lack of education is the greatest risk factor, with a link to 19% of cases. These findings contradict the long-held notion of Alzheimer's being a predetermined genetic fate. In a previous Musings, I talked about the power of coconut oil to prevent and even reverse this terrible disease.
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    Jane G. Goldberg, Ph.D.

    Dr. Jane Goldberg has published numerous articles, both scholarly and lay. She has appeared on most TV talk shows and has been invited to lecture at conferences throughout the country. She has been aired on several radio shows, including NPR. Her list of published articles and newspaper contributions is lengthy and impressive.

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